Not as inspired as against the Netherlands, the France team won in Ireland on Monday (1-0) during the Euro 2024 qualifiers. After two games, the Blues are at the top of group B .
In the days without, you sometimes have to rely on a bang and, in the case of the France team, a “bastard strike” which brought back memories of the World Cup in Russia in 2018. In bad shape for a good part of the meeting due to the solidity of the Irish block, the Blues won in Dublin (1-0), Monday March 27, thanks to a brilliant inspiration from Benjamin Pavard (50th) at the back from the changing rooms. A sudden strike, under the crossbar of the Irish goalkeeper, while the Habs had gone through a very dull first period.
Led by a generation and a new captain with overflowing ambition, the France team will easily not roll in Group B of the Euro qualifiers, contrary to what the big victory against the Netherlands on Friday suggested. (4-0) at the Stade de France. To get his ticket for the Euro in Germany, the Blues will have to fight from start to finish, and sometimes fall on a bone, a green wall that passes on their way.
Fourteen years after the hand of Thierry Henry who had qualified France for the 2010 World Cup, a month and a half after the slap received by the XV of France in this same Aviva Stadium during the Six Nations Tournament, the “Boys in Green ” wanted to discover some with the vice-world champions. This first trip to hostile land for the Blues in these qualifiers has kept its promises: the new generation has passed an interesting test.
A struggling left side
The latter could be summed up as follows: how to find the fault in this Irish wall? Against the Netherlands, the Blues played the game they love, making quick transitions to take advantage of the spaces in the opposing defense. Against the Irish, the players of Didier Deschamps dug and above all found certain limits. Missed passes, a non-existent Olivier Giroud because he has never served once in the area and a combative Randal Kolo Muani, but uncomfortable on the right side.
The left wing, the strong point of this France team, was confusingly clumsy. Théo Hernandez multiplied unnecessary faults and technical errors, while Kylian Mbappé was often squeezed by several Irishmen. Before the goal, there was therefore nothing or almost nothing: a small thrill in the depth caused by Kolo Muani (9th) and a resumption of the head of Antoine Griezmann next door (38th).
Afterwards, it was not much better but at least something happened with the strikes of Moussa Diaby (69th) and Adrien Rabiot (75th), repelled by Gavin Bazunu. In the meantime, there has therefore been the return of a man, put in the closet during the World Cup by Deschamps. Pavard doesn’t score much, but when he does, his goals look good. That of Monday in Dublin is already decisive in the race for qualification.
Maignan saves the Blues at the end of the match
The Irish public at Aviva Stadium, on fire during the first period, was a little quieter after this goal. The Irish pack began to retreat, certainly marked by fatigue. The madness resumed at the end of the match when the Irish pushed and finally put Mike Maignan to work (84th, 89th). Nathan Collins did not believe his eyes when he saw his head popped out by the incredible stop of the French goalkeeper (90th).
After this match, Deschamps can be satisfied with one thing: the trap he represented has not closed on his players. The new generation answered a first question on Monday. When the difficulty rises and the atmosphere is also tense, she knows how to respond. With two victories in two games in these qualifiers, the France team will occupy first place in group B until June, the next meeting of the Blues. By then, the club players’ season will be over. And the coach may have found the key to crush Group B without difficulty.