Last group match for the Blues. After a flawless start, Thierry Henry’s players face New Zealand on Tuesday, July 30 (7 p.m., live on France Télévisions and france.tv), in Marseille. A decisive encounter if they want to secure their place in the quarter-finals.
Finally a reference match? Although Les Bleus won their first two matches, their performances were not entirely convincing. Lacking in defensive rigor, they did well against Guinea, two of whose goals were disallowed after recourse to video assistance. Offensively, Les Bleus sometimes lacked efficiency, but showed some good things and can count on Michael Olise, who has been very prominent since the start of the tournament.
New Zealand, an opponent to be wary of. The All Whites, quarter-finalists at the Tokyo Olympics, have had a mixed start to the tournament. After beating Guinea (2-1), the New Zealanders suffered a heavy defeat against the United States (4-1) on Saturday. Their squad is little known in France. Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen is the only player to play in Europe, at Bournemouth in the English Premier League.
A quarter to go and get. After two wins in as many games, the Blues are at the top of their group with a three-point lead over New Zealand and the United States. A point from a draw would therefore be enough to secure their place in the quarter-finals. The top two teams in each group, as well as the two best third-placed teams, advance to the final phase.