Completely overhauled and without panache, the France team finished the first phase of the World Cup at the top of its group, but was pitifully beaten by Tunisia (0-1) on Wednesday, a confused performance which recalls the importance of stars. so that the team can dream of a double.
First place, and that’s it… While waiting to know the name of the opponent they will face in the round of 16 on Sunday – Poland, Argentina, Saudi Arabia or Mexico – the Blues have provided the essentials, but their score did not resemble that of a world champion team, at the Education City stadium.
“I did not neglect the match,” assured coach Didier Deschamps, nevertheless acknowledging a “timid” performance, which “should serve us on Sunday”.
Until the end, the Qatari evening of the Blues will have been without tail or head: Antoine Griezmann thought he had snatched the equalizer at 98e minute, the referee had whistled the end of the match, but the video assistance called him to order in extremis, signaling an offside. And no one was able to see it on French TV, because TF1 had returned to the antenna…
It’s a new tournament that begins, we no longer have the right to make mistakes.
It is therefore of course with a defeat that France closes its group stage. With some doubts? The low level of play displayed contrasts in any case completely with that of France-Australia (4-1) and France-Denmark (2-1).
More than ever, the Blues need Kylian Mbappé, Olivier Giroud, Griezmann, Adrien Rabiot, all spared at kick-off on Wednesday.
More than ever, France needs professional full-backs, not Eduardo Camavinga and Axel Disasi, placed respectively on the left and on the right in unusual roles.
More than ever, the linings will have to question themselves to hope to nibble a few minutes from the typical team, obviously drawn after the second game.
“You shouldn’t throw everything away,” Disasi said in defense of his first selection. Despite the defeat, I took lessons. It’s a new tournament that begins, we no longer have the right to make mistakes. »
“Freshness”
“We cannot achieve all the objectives at the same time,” stressed Deschamps. “The 24 won the first two games, the 24 lost that one,” added the coach, satisfied to approach the round of 16 with “freshness”.
With nine replacements from France-Denmark, the evening starters were far from being in the best mood, amid the whistles and boos of the red tide having invaded the stands.
A supporter wearing a flag in the colors of Palestine even managed to enter the lawn in the second half, performing an agile somersault before being overpowered by security, under the pro-Palestinian chants of part of the public.
The Tunisians will remember this feat for a long time, even if the victory is insufficient to make them qualify for the eighth, obtained by Australia in this group D.
Established for the first time in this World Cup, it was Wahbi Khazri, born in Ajaccio, who capsized the stadium in the 58e minute. “We don’t go out the back door,” he assured, despite “a little bitter taste.”
Konaté alone in the desert
Deschamps finds himself faced with his choices: that of not replacing Karim Benzema, for example, forced him to play Kingsley Coman in a role of second striker and not winger, due to the absence of Marcus Thuram, victim of stomach pain.
Only Ibrahima Konaté, associated with Raphaël Varane, in defense, shone. The entry into play of Mbappé, Rabiot then Griezmann did not allow the Blues to reverse the trend, despite a stranglehold on the end of the match.
Fortunately, the coach had taken care to declare, on Tuesday in front of the press, that “this is not the match of [mercredi] which will change anything”, otherwise the Blues would have had a lot to do to convince their followers that a new coronation is possible.
But the France team is accustomed to tasteless third group matches: under Deschamps, it has not won a single one in five final stages.
On the other hand, she only lost once in the round of 16 of a major tournament, at Euro 2021. A good reason to hope for a completely different face on Sunday?