We didn’t necessarily expect that, but this Tuesday evening there was a final return match for 3rd place in the Women’s Nations League (bless you). Better still, there was even an extension, because the French team managed the end of regulation time very badly. But at least the Blues rectified their situation to end the year on a good note (2-1 in the first leg, 2-2 after the return).
After their victory in the first act, the Blues seemed to be heading towards quiet success in Stockholm. After a rather controlled game, Clara Mateo, substitute in the first leg, opened the scoring with a lot of work from Kadidiatou Diani (0-1, 58th).
Unfortunately, Laurent Bonadei’s players therefore had this big slump, with a goal from Ijeh, left alone on an off-center free kick (1-1, 44th), and another from Kafaji, who took advantage of a missed exit from Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (1-1, 90th + 2).
The Blues are getting by
The Blues therefore had to go through extra time, where it was the former Nantes player Kelly Gago who scored the winning goal, or rather that of third place (2-2, 106th).
While Spain won this Nations League at the expense of Germany (3-0, 0-0), the French team thus ends a year where progress has not been clearly evident. Now it’s time for the World Cup qualifiers, starting next March, with matches against Ireland, Poland and the Netherlands.
