The relapse was brutal. In remission after his Encouraging success against Austria, the France team fell back into its ways, Sunday, September 25, losing in Copenhagen against Denmark (2-0). Faced with an opponent they will find on November 26 in Qatar at the next World Cup, the Blues have extended, despite themselves, the more than mixed impression they will have left during this League of Nations.
Lucky, they only stay in League A thanks to the Croatian victory in Austria (1-3). The main thing is perhaps not in this immediate result and its consequences, but rather in the deadlines to come. A few weeks before the start of the World Cup (November 20-December 18), the Blues now have as many doubts as certainties.
3 – France have lost 3 competitive matches in 2022 (3 times in the Nations League), this is already their worst total in a calendar year (tied with 1966, 1981, 2008 and 2010). Pessimism. #DANFRA pic.twitter.com/sA2vmqaWza
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) September 25, 2022
More than a shipwreck, rather a scuttling. That nothing foreshadowed, however, given the start of the match. Spent a few first seconds when the Vikings left to board the blue ship, the latter managed to repel the longship, in particular through the wings. Kylian Mbappé, untenable, multiplied the rakes and the double-contacts before testing the reflexes of Schmeichel on a shot without angle (8th). A few moments later, he perfectly shifted Antoine Griezmann whose strike finished warming up the Danish goalkeeper (14th).
Apart from the goals, everything was going well then, the Blues found themselves quickly and well but it was not in Denmark’s plans to passively attend a demonstration. And little by little the Scandinavians resurfaced, taking advantage of the tricolor largesse in defense, where the absence of the innkeeper Varane was suddenly felt, especially on the corners where France left boulevards. Eriksen borrowed one precisely to serve, in the 34th minute, Damsgaard whose center was taken over victoriously, and with a sliding tackle, by Dolberg (1-0).
Shaken, the players of Didier Deschamps, so attractive at the start of the match, have become unrecognizable. No more passes arrived at their destination, no revolt seemed to arise and Denmark took advantage of it. On a new corner badly negotiated by the French, Skov Olsen was rewarded with his magnificent first period, with a volley in retreat which deceived, for the second time of the evening, Areola (2-0, 39th). While everything had started well, these first 45 minutes ended on a worrying note.
France haven’t scored in their last 6 matches in the 1st half. @PSSportsFR #DANFRA
– Stats Foot (@Statsdufoot) September 25, 2022
We can always be reassured by arguing that a large part of the usual holders was missing (15 injured in total) with the Blues. But the world champions also know that the double will go through linings at the level and much more well-honed automatisms. Apart from an outbreak and three chances in as many minutes for Mbappé 20 minutes from the end, Griezmann’s partners will never have picked up the thread.
Faced with an opponent who was content to calmly manage the score, France showed, at best clumsiness, at worst resignation. If she stays in Nations League A, she leaves this edition with only one victory on the clock and a lot of questions 58 days before her entry into the running in Qatar. “Tonight we were in contact with the reality of the high level”said Didier Deschamps at the microphone of TF1 after the defeat, “and that’s what awaits us in two months”.