Led from the start of the game, the France team finally won a spectacular match against Panama (6-3), with a hat-trick from Kadidiatou Diani. Les Bleues qualify for the round of 16 of the 2023 World Cup.
The essential is assured, it will be said. After its missed start against Jamaica (0-0) and its good reaction against Brazil (2-1), the French team won the success it had come to seek against Panama, to end the group stage. of the World Cup. But the scenario was not what was expected, since the Blues won 6-3 after a rather crazy meeting.
After one minute and 7 seconds of play, it was Panama, already eliminated, who opened the scoring and scored their first goal in a World Cup. And what a goal! A sumptuous free kick from Marta Cox, overjoyed (1-0, 2nd).
The mind-blowing free kick taken by the Blue (video) https://t.co/lIPlD4PMZo
— Sports.fr (@sports_fr) August 2, 2023
For this meeting, Hervé Renard had chosen to blow Wendie Renard and Eugénie Le Sommer, as well as certain players under the threat of a yellow card (Dali, Toletti, Karchaoui). Les Bleues were not certain to qualify, however, they were even virtually third after the Panamanian opener. But they reacted well in the first half. A header from Maëlle Lakrar (21st), a double from Kadidiatou Diani (28th, 37th sp) then a winning center shot from Léa Le Garrec (45th + 5), and France took shelter by leading 4- 1 at the break.
Germany in the eighth?
The second act could have been uneventful, if not for Diani, who took advantage of a new penalty to afford the very first hat-trick for a French player in the World Cup (52nd sp). But the French defense was again surprised twice, with a penalty conceded by Elisa De Almeida and transformed by Yomira Pinzon (64th sp) and a free kick pushed back by the crossbar then taken over by Lineth Cedeno (87th).
If it was the attack that worried before this World Cup, it was therefore the defense that sent funny signals during this meeting, before a very likely shock in the round of 16 against Germany. This match still ended on a good note, with the first international goal of the young Vicky Becho (90th + 10). And the essential is therefore acquired with this qualification and this first place in a group where Brazil, all the same, is eliminated after its draw against Jamaica (0-0).
