The honeymoon continues. Hervé Renard's France team won a first reference success three months before the Women's World Cup by dominating the Canadian Olympic champions (2-1), Tuesday in Le Mans, a shock rich in lessons for the new coach.

The dream beginning? After ten days in office, the former boss of Saudi Arabia has not only given enthusiasm to a selection in crisis, he has observed many players at work, but he has especially won two important successes in friendly, after the spectacular victory against Colombia Friday in Clermont-Ferrand (5-2).

The 14,200 spectators of the Marie-Marvingt stadium also attended a much more successful match on Tuesday than the Auvergne public on Friday, despite the rainy weather: displaying this mastery against one of the nations candidates for the world title this summer in Australia and New Zealand (20 July-20 August) is a guarantee of promise.

Geyoro and Le Garrec scorers

The coach has not ceased to repeat, this week, that "the competition has (had) another flavor" and that the Blues were in preparation... Did he want to have his back in case of a misstep? In any case, her players did not take this shock lightly, in the wake of Grace Geyoro, scorer of the head (51st), and Léa Le Garrec, intractable to take advantage of a gross error of recovery the goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan (64th), with a delicious control-lob sequence

The celebration of the midfielder of Fleury, deprived of the Blues for five and a half years under the mandate of Corinne Diacre - former coach landed on March 9 - sums up many things.

All the staff members, substitutes and starters formed a joyful circle of euphoria and smiles on the edge of the field. A scene unimaginable just a few weeks ago. The Garrec could not hold back a few tears at the end of the match.

Picaud's mistake

Faced with Canadians known for their defensive solidity - but deprived of several injured executives - the trigger came, as Friday, from two essentials. The lively Delphine Cascarino, untenable on her right side, served perfectly Grace Geyoro, placed in the right place. The two players, already scorers against the Colombians when they entered the game at half-time, clearly confirmed that their place would be impregnable in the starting eleven.

The only black point of the match was this goal conceded in the 71st minute on a huge error by goalkeeper Constance Picaud (2nd selection), surprise starter in place of Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, the N.1 for several years. Striker Jordyn Huitema did not miss this chance to send the Parisian back to her rank of understudy...

Executives to be reintegrated

In his notebook, Hervé Renard probably has many observations to go through for the coming weeks. The analysis will be crucial, because his next list to be unveiled will simply be that of the World Cup, in early June, even if he should deliver a first expanded selection.

In the positive column, the 54-year-old coach will be able to highlight the winning return of Eugenie Le Sommer, who hit the bar Tuesday (49th) after her double Friday. He will also be satisfied with a successful match of his captain Wendie Renard, whom he himself expected "at the turn" after the sling she led against Deacon. The Lyonnaise, overwhelmed Friday, has totally regained his authority in the defense. She could even have scored, if not for a feat from Sheridan (62nd).

Hervé Renard also does not forget that he has notable absentees to reinstate, if they recover. This is the case of Amandine Henry, Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto, three executives hoped for the World Cup. Katoto was also in the stands at Le Mans, she must have appreciated.

  • Sport
  • Women's football
  • Hervé Renard