French women dominate New Zealand thanks to a double from Marie-Antoinette Katoto and join Brazil in the quarter-finals

Without forcing, the French team finished top of its group on Wednesday, following its victory against the Ferns (2-1).

They fulfilled their mission, without much brilliance either given the weak opposition. Les Bleues reached the quarter-finals of their Olympic Games, Wednesday July 31, after winning against New Zealand for their last group match (2-1). A result that allows them to finish in first place in the group, since Canada won against Colombia at the same time (1-0). The French team will face Brazil, third in Group C, Saturday August 3, in Nantes.

As has been the case since the start of the tournament, the slightly reshuffled French team relied on the inevitable Marie-Antoinette Katoto to avert the possibility of a more than embarrassing elimination. Receiving a cross from the very lively Sandy Baltimore, the PSG striker opened the scoring with a header that a professional goalkeeper should push away (22nd, 1-0), before scoring twice with her shin after the break (49th, 2-1). Enough to delight the stands at the Stade de Lyon, already well heated by the exploits of Léon Marchand in the Olympic swimming pool at La Défense.

“We reassured ourselves this evening, in front of a great crowd, it feels good. We could have scored but I’m happy with the victory, especially the content and the state of mind”explained the tournament’s top scorer (five goals) to France Télévisions. Less successful, Delphine Cascarino hit the Kiwi posts three times (41st, 54th, 59th).

“I told them they deserved much better tonight, they persevered and kept their heads held high”greeted Hervé Renard in the mixed zone. In the Rhône heat and its 30°C at kick-off, his players were not particularly disturbed by the absence of their captain Wendie Renard, affected in the left quadriceps. And yet, the French were still punished before the break by Kate Taylor, not attacked 25 meters on a throw-in and scorer from afar on one of the very rare opportunities of the Ferns (42nd, 1-1).

A release that was ultimately without any seriousness. “When we conceded the goal, we didn’t panic. We dominated the whole match and we remained confident.”assured Selma Bacha. If the only black spot of the evening concerns Sakina Karchaoui who felt a “thigh tip” At the end of the game, we will still remember that France would have been second, without the six-point deduction inflicted by FIFA on the Canadians for their case of spying by drone on the New Zealanders’ training. Well off at the end of this first round in half-tones, the Blues thus avoid a shock against Germany.