They did! For the first time in ten years, for the first time in a Euro, France qualified for a semi-final. Les Bleues had to wait for extra time to overcome the European champions in title Dutch thanks to a penalty converted by Eve Périsset (102nd).
“We had to wait for extra time and a penalty, but I think the victory is deserved” entrusted coach Corinne Deacon to the microphone of TF1. “We had a big match. Athletically, we brought some answers. It’s a first step. We have to continue and rest well, because we’re on to four days.”
French women badly rewarded
If France had to fight until extra time, it was because Corinne Deacon’s players came up against an Oranje wall! A wall defended with talent by their goalkeeper Van Domselaar and sometimes with luck by a defense very happy to have repelled certain blue attempts at the end of the first period.
The first wick is lit by Delphine Cascarino who finds a Dutch post after a poorly repelled corner (27th). Before two miraculous rescues of the central defender Van der Gragt on his goal line following strikes from Melvine Malard (37th) and Grace Geyoro (41st).
Alerted at the start of the match on strikes from Charlotte Bilbault (17th) from Cascarino (22nd), Battave goalkeeper Daphne Van Domselaar is the great late-game hero against Wendy Renard. Dominant in her heading game, the captain of Les Bleues sends two cannonballs halfway up (66th and 90 + 3rd) released by the Twente goalkeeper.
Make way for Germany
During extra time, France maintained a high game intensity in the face of exhausted dutch. On yet another deep run from Kadidiatou Diani, the PSG striker was tackled late by Janssens in the area. After watching the video arbitration, Les Bleues obtained a penalty converted by Eve Périsset (102nd)… even if touched by Van Domselaar.
This victory allows the French team to reach its first international semi-final since the London Olympics in 2012. She will return to Germany this Wednesday in Milton Keynes (9 p.m.). A historic nation of women’s football, winner of eight of the twelve editions of the Euro, which beat Austria in the quarter-finals (2-0). A meeting disputed two days before the quarter of the Blue … not trivial after the extensions played by the Blue.