Sidelined by Corinne Deacon, Eugénie Le Sommer is back in the French women’s team under the orders of Hervé Renard, especially since the 34-year-old striker was suddenly associated in a 2-man attack with Kadi Diani before the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Top scorer in the history of the French women’s team, Eugénie Le Sommer did not miss the opportunity to improve her statistics during the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. She opened the scoring in the victory against Brazil (2-1) for the second match in the group stage, then offered a brace against Morocco in the round of 16 (4-0), last Tuesday. To reach 92 goals in 182 tricolor selections!
At 34, “ELS” is an offensive weapon of weight for Hervé Renard, while Corinne Deacon had dismissed her for the Euro last year. In addition to trusting the top scorer in the history of OL (287 goals in 375 games since 2010), the coach of Les Bleues has also positioned her in the middle in support of Kadidiatou Diani, which allows her to be present in front of goal on crosses but also to participate in the game by being a relay available right in the opposing block.
Le Sommer-Diani, the duo that changes everything
Like Didier Deschamps who went to 4-2-3-1 in the middle of the World Cup in Russia, Renard went from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 after the last match preparation for the Women’s World Cup, against Australia (1-0 defeat). Le Sommer was at the forefront, but Diani on the right wing (with Bacha on the left). The double winner of the CAN, deprived of a center forward like Marie-Antoinette Katoto as well as Delphine Cascarino, reshaped his team at the last minute, finding an almost perfect balance.
The attacking duo of Les Bleues has plenty of talent to take France to the end. “ I like to play between the lines, it’s one of my qualities. Kadi is more of a depth player. We try to complement each other ”, rejoices Le Sommer on RMC, after the qualification against the Moroccans and before finding the Australians, during an explosive quarter-final, Saturday (9 a.m. in France, live on France 2), in front of 50,000 supporters of the Matildas in Melbourne.
