Europe 1 with AFP 3:13 p.m., September 23, 2022

The French women's basketball team failed to confirm after their convincing victory at the opening of the World Cup, against Australia on Thursday.

This Friday, Gabby Williams and her teammates lost heavily against the Canadians (59-45) who are leading Group B. The quarter-finals are still accessible, however.

The day after its convincing opening victory against Australia (70-57), the French women's basketball team tripped over the mat during its second match at the World Cup, heavily beaten by Canada on Friday at Sydney (59-45).

Les Bleues, out of skill (31% shooting success, 3/19 from three points) thus miss a great opportunity to get closer to the quarter-finals before facing Mali on Sunday (6:30 a.m. French).

Canada lead Group B

In Group B, they let the Canadians take the lead (two wins) and find themselves neck and neck (one success) with Serbia, Japan and Australia if they beat Mali in the evening, if sporting logic is respected.

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After having experienced a huge air pocket between the end of the first period and the start of the second (0-17, from 17-20 to 17-37), they lost with a significant gap which canceled out the difference in points. favorable acquired after the success against the Australians.

In the event of a tie between more than two teams, the latter will be decided by the general difference in points.

How to explain this heavy defeat?

Is it fatigue?

The contrast compared to the day before, with stands this time almost empty?

Jean-Aimé Toupane's players were in any case only the shadow of the team that brought down the Australian host.

Not so much in defense, where they maintained the same aggressiveness but fell on a more skilful team, especially from the second quarter, than in attack.

They thus experienced a huge loss in shooting, which they failed to catch up by taking offensive rebounds (19 Canadian shots), and lost too many balls (14).

At the individual level, Gabby Williams shone less than against the Opals (13 pts against 23) and was too little supported: no other player passed the bar of ten units (seven points each for Alexia Chartereau and Marine Fauthoux).