Thanks to a convincing victory (2-1) in Oslo, the French team increased its lead at the top of group A2 on Friday.
The freezing temperatures of Oslo did not get the better of Les Bleues. Against Norway, the French team scored a third success in as many Nations League matches (2-1), Friday October 27. A victory against its toughest opponent according to the FIFA ranking – 13th nation in the world – which allows it to increase its lead in first place in the group, the only qualifier for the Final Four, since Austria, winner of Portugal ( 2-1), now at five units.
While the French had difficulty establishing their control during the last rally, the French midfield was this time helped by the lack of mobility of the Scandinavians, who had long waited in low blocks. In the animation, the replacement of Selma Bacha in an unusual mid-relay position also made it possible to create spaces and races.
For her first selection on the attacking front, Julie Dufour confirmed her good start to the season with Paris FC by pushing the unfortunate Maren Mjelde to score against her camp (23rd, 1-0), before obtaining a corner decisive which allowed Wendie Renard to restore the advantage to her team with another blow of the helmet (69th, 2-1).
League of Nations: Norway comes back to score
Norway, in difficulty in the first half, equalized against Les Bleues. After a ball recovered at the feet of Sakina Karchaoui, the Norwegians cross into the French area and Lund regains the ball after two duels won by the Norwegians. Constance Picaud deflects the ball onto the post but Lund is the quickest and pushes the ball into the French net. – ()
The quarter-finalists of the last World Cup were, however, called to order. On the back foot for ten minutes at the end of the first period, they were then punished upon returning from the locker room by a fortunate achievement from the Norwegian Marit Lund, taking advantage of a placement error by Constance Picaud (60th, 1-1). This is the first goal conceded by the Blues in five matches.
A good reaction
Hervé Renard’s players were able to re-mobilize immediately to get their 63rd victory in the last 64 matches where they opened the scoring. Selma Bacha, on a brushed shot from the edge of the box (72nd), then Eugénie Le Sommer, with an inspired scissor on a cross from Elisa De Almeida, could even have added to the score at the end of the match.
League of Nations: Wendie Renard strikes again from a corner
The captain of the French team Wendie Renard strikes again from a Selma Bacha corner. The Lyonnaise takes the cross at the first post to uncross her header at the second. The Norwegian goalkeeper can’t do anything. France gets back in front in a match that gets carried away. – ()
France has not lost against Norway for twenty years, and can be satisfied with this new success against the Scandinavians in difficult weather conditions. The thermometer only showed a small degree at kick-off, and the 22 actresses could not count on the atmosphere set intermittently by the 9,000 spectators at the two-thirds empty Ullevaal Stadion to warm up .
With only one point taken in three matches, Norway have almost said goodbye to qualification for the Final Four, and therefore for the Olympic Games, while the possibility of being relegated to League B is becoming clearer. On the other hand, Hervé Renard’s group will be able to approach the second confrontation against the Nordiques with confidence, this time on home soil, next Tuesday in Reims. The opportunity to get a little closer to the semi-finals of the League of Nations.