the France team hooked by Iceland for its last match of the group stage

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Within seconds, the Blues were received three out of three. After two victories, against Italy and Belgium, the France team finally completed its Euro group phase with a draw against Iceland (1-1), Monday July 18, at New York Stadium. of Rotherham (UK). The Habs, with a revamped eleven, thought they had gotten the better of the Icelanders thanks to a goal from Melvine Malard in the first minute of play.

But we had to hold out until the very last minute. At the end of additional time, after a second French goal canceled by the video, a long stoppage of play for an injury to Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, and intense pressure from the Icelanders on the tricolor surface, the wall ended up cracking. Challenged by the video, the referee whistled an Icelandic penalty after a fault by Ouleymata Sarr. Brynjarsdottir converted and brought the two teams evenly matched.

This emotional roller coaster concludes a group stage where Les Bleues showed good things, especially in attack. But there are also glaring shortcomings, in defense and in the management of their efforts.

Before this eventful end to the match, the turnover operated by Corinne Deacon had not yet seemed to upset the Blue, who have become accustomed in this Euro to offer very good starts to the match. Despite six changes at kick-off, they quickly imposed their rule.

Under overwhelming heat (34 degrees at kick-off), the French women then gradually uncovered themselves. Iceland, which was playing its qualification in the quarters during this match, took the opportunity to get some good opportunities, like the crossbar found by Jonsdottir (10th), which shook the families of the players, present in number at the New York Stadium. Without being sparkling, the Blues were able to resist to return to the locker room with a head start.

Under the encouragement of their fans, who never stopped singing, the Icelanders gave everything to get back in the game from the start of the second half. They even almost held the equalizer, but Peyraud-Magnin lay down well to box the strike from Albertsdottir (56th). Corinne Deacon’s players relied on the counter-attacks, and finally thought they were taking cover when Malard came to cut off a center from Bacha (69th). But the goal was canceled for an offside position.

Bis repeated at the very end of the game, with a new goal from Grace Geyoro, which came into play a few minutes earlier, but canceled for a French handball fault (87th). A decision strongly contested by the tricolor bench, without effect. In a tense atmosphere, the Icelanders, reinvigorated by the “clapping” coming down from the stands, threw their last strength into battle, until they snatched a prestigious draw.

With this result, the Blue complete their group stage undefeated, but miss the full card achieved by England and Germany. The content, winded, will not necessarily reassure the French clan, five days before the quarter-final against the Dutch, defending champions. Representatives of the Oranje selection, including coach Mark Parsons, were also present in the stands of Rotherham. For the Icelanders, condemned by Belgium’s victory against Italy in the other Group D match on Monday evening, the road ends there.


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