The France team won against Ireland, this Thursday evening, after an intense match at the Parc des Princes (2-0). The goal of qualifying is almost achieved.
These days, the Parc des Princes is really the perfect setting for the start of the new school year for a class of diligent students. For a few weeks, there has been an air of renewal in the atmosphere of the Parisian enclosure. There was something appealing about the idea that the good vibes of PSG spread to the French team, especially since if the Saint-Cloud gate awakens some painful memories in Didier Deschamps’ first life, his men in have made their heaven in his coaching career. It’s very simple: France had scored 14 pawns during its last two outings at the Park.
Of course, Ireland have a completely different pedigree than Australia in the summer of 2014 (6-0) or Kazakhstan in the fall of 2021 (8-0). Deschamps did not forget that his Blues had returned from Dublin with a few bumps last March, and that without a strike at the far post from Pavard and a save from Maignan really out of nowhere, France would certainly not have collected this little 1-0 so precious to approach this second round by sticking out your chest. It was to be expected: even deprived of their prodigy Evan Ferguson, the Boys in Green, as they are called, had not come to the capital to take selfies with the French stars.
But the carrot was too good for the Blues not to catch it. By winning this Thursday evening, the French team, which already totaled 4 victories (and no goals conceded) after its first 4 meetings, set foot in Germany, less than a year from Euro 2024 If it wasn’t a qualifying night, it looked like it.
Mbappé surrounded, Tchouaméni inspired
As usual, all eyes were on Kylian Mbappé, whose absence in front of the press before the match had caused as much talk as if he had presented himself to let go of his four truths after his agitated summer. The captain of the Blues had to carry a slightly modified team in its animation, with a role of playmaker free and a little more advanced for Antoine Griezmann. Olivier Giroud had been preferred to Randal Kolo Muani on the front of the attack, pending a tenure of the Parisian for a 100% PSG line. Another unprecedented fact: the Hernandez brothers started next to each other, Lucas slipping in the axis to fill the absence of Konaté alongside Upamecano.
In the same way that he turns into silence outside the green rectangle, Mbappé likes to feed on the electricity he generates. With Paris, since his return, this allows him to redo what he knows how to do best: shine, shine. Burn the retina, as he repeats at will. But in his garden, this Thursday, the star of the Blues did not make a copy as flamboyant as with PSG. Quite remote, often jostled, target of an ultra-tight marking, Mbappé has long wandered in the trap of half-spaces, at the heart of the game, to find solutions. Without much conviction.
The danger rather came from his friend on the left side, Théo Hernandez, whose sharp tumbles created the first shifts. Connected to alternating current, Ousmane Dembélé made terrible differences, before she gave birth, still too often, to a wet firecracker. Olivier Giroud, he quickly gave way to Marcus Thuram before the cool break following a rough contact with Egan (24th). In the meantime, the Blues had found an alternative: striking. And it was certainly the right weapon to force the Irish lock. Shifted by Mbappé to the left corner of the surface, Aurélien Tchouaméni armed a placed and clear shot at 81 km / h which ended in the opposite side netting (1-0, 19th).
Placed on the right track soon enough, the Blues had done the hardest part, in the end. What to spend a rather pleasant evening in this beautiful sounding board that is the Park. The second act got off to a good start. After another tumble from the untenable Theo, Mbappé’s blocked shot benefited Marcus Thuram, whose pivot shot hit the mark for the break goal (2-0, 49th).
The last half hour was a little more unbridled, the Blues trying to verticalize their attacks. With a more influential Griezmann and a Dembélé who really made his vis-à-vis Stevens see all the colors, the waves continued to rain down on the Irish goal for a while. And then at the other end of the meadow, the visitors, quite limited in their offensive expression, still came up against Maignan, still as feline on his line (53rd). In short, the score could and should have changed with the last cartridges from Mbappé or Coman, but these rather school-aged Blues did not do everything well. Which is not so bad, because it leaves a margin for the future. With a statement ” can do better », the contract is fulfilled. A smooth evening before a nice aperitif of the Euro, in another majestic arena, in Dortmund, on Tuesday.
