Having come very close to the penalty in the round of 16, the Bleuets had a quieter evening on Sunday during their quarter-final of the Under-20 World Cup. Because if it had to wait for a penalty in the very last moments of extra time to overcome Japan in the previous round, the French team this time mastered the debates against Norway with a 2-1 victory.
And Bernard Diomède had good reason to rejoice at the arrival at the start of the week of Saïmon Bouabré. “He was the little kid in 2024. Now he has a different status and responsibilities to shoulder”he confided about him. Because the former Monegasque, who left last summer for Noem SC in Saudi Arabia, was the great architect of the French qualification.
The native of Saint-Etienne indeed scored both goals for the Bleuets, striking from the 19the minute after being thrown deep and appearing alone against the Norwegian goalkeeper. And the best was yet to come since shortly after the half hour mark, following a magnificent header from Noham Kamara in the area after a cross from the left, Saïmon Bouabré doubled the lead with a lovely half-volley into the side net.
France-Morocco in the semi-final
Returning to the locker room with a two-goal lead, France nonetheless continued to put pressure on the Scandinavian goal, multiplying opportunities without success. And in the last moments of the match, it was finally Norway who reduced the score thanks to a goal from Rasmus Holten in the 83rd minute of play. The end of the match was inevitably more tense but the Bleuets were able to preserve the essentials.
Qualified for the final four of an Under-20 World Cup for the first time since 2013 and the coronation of the Pogba generation, France will face Morocco in the semi-final, who created a surprise by calmly dominating the United States (3-1). The other semi-final pits Argentina against Colombia.
