France Tournament: with Hamraoui, the Blues defeat Denmark by a short head

Europe 1 with AFP 11:28 p.m., February 15, 2023

Five months before the World Cup in Australia (July 20 - August 20), the Blues still seem to be looking for benchmarks, automation and a tactical system.

On the banks of the Mayenne, the victory against Denmark (1-0) only took shape on a personal feat by Charlotte Bilbault, scorer of a long shot (31st), her second achievement in selection…

The French women temporarily take the lead in the Tournoi de France, a friendly event which is celebrating its third edition, tied with Norway, victorious over Uruguay at the start of the evening by the same score.

The partners of Wendie Renard have an appointment on Saturday with the South Americans and on Tuesday with the Norwegians to try to lift this honorary trophy, and to reassure themselves a little in view of the World Cup.

Their performance of the evening against the 18th nation in the world, without a big name and without its star Pernille Harder, was not enough, in any case, to sweep away the doubts that have crossed this French team since Euro 2022, finished in half- final against Germany (2-1).

The success nevertheless allows the Blues to tip the scales on the right side, after having suffered three defeats in their last six matches.

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Tactical trials

Customary of confusing team compositions, the coach Corinne Deacon had surprised again by aligning entry Kheira Hamraoui, preferred to the framework Grace Geyoro despite her very low playing time at Paris SG, where her relations remain icy with certain partners fifteen months after the assault she suffered.

For his 40th selection, a year after the 39th, the 33-year-old midfielder remained quite shy in the construction of the game, which mainly went through the wings or through long balls towards the attackers.

Another opposite of Deacon in the starting "eleven", the choice to align a system with five defenders including three centrals.

Only two of the eight midfielders called up in the list of 26 players could therefore be established.

Already tested in November against Norway (2-1) in a friendly, the tactical plan showed its weaknesses: capricious ball exits, permanent use of long balls and markers still to be perfected... even though Renard and Kadidiatou Diani had pointed out in recent days the need to recreate "a game identity" (Diani) and to "tweak the automation" (Renard).

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Experimental Defense

The French still logically dominated the debates, in the wake of an interesting Estelle Cascarino for her troubleshooting as a left side, replacing Selma Bacha and Sakina Karchaoui, injured like Griedge Mbock and Marie-Antoinette Katoto.

It was after one of Cascarino's breakthroughs that Bilbault found the fault, after a "gift" recovery from the Danish defense.

The same Estelle Cascarino even found the post in the second half, on a cross from her sister Delphine (53rd), the hottest occasion of the meeting.

The Laval evening, in a good-natured atmosphere and in front of 7,400 spectators, also allowed Deacon to see Sandy Baltimore, restless on his left flank after missing the last two rallies.

The coach also offered her first selection to Bordelaise Julie Thibaud in an experimental central defense with Renard and Hawa Cissoko (8 selections).

A sector still under construction, just five months from the World Cup, the ultimate goal of a selection still without an international trophy...