Three days after a defeat in Austria, the Bleuets failed again this Monday, beaten by South Korea in a friendly match played in Le Havre (0-3).
Everything started perfectly for Thierry Henry at the head of the France Espoirs team. Four victories against Denmark (4-1), Slovenia (0-4), Bosnia (1-2) and against Cyprus (9-0); the new dynamic was launched and well underway… Then faltered! Defeated on Friday in Austria as part of the Euro 2025 qualifiers (2-0), the Bleuets were unable to rectify the situation this Monday in Le Havre against South Korea, in a friendly match.
Despite relative domination throughout the game, and good chances to the credit of Mathys Tel, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Elye Wahi or Rayan Cherki, Thierry Henry’s players – orphans of their captain Warren Zaire-Emery, promoted to the A – collapsed in the second half, first surprised by a magnificent free kick (70e) then weighed down by two goals clumsily conceded by Guillaume Restes (79e90e+4). All for a second consecutive stinging setback, without the slightest goal scored (0-3).
“The result is horrible”
“ We can’t afford to concede goals like that, the second and third were quite comicalsays the Espoirs coach, hotly, on the L’Equipe channel. In football, there is something called realism. When we have so many chances and we don’t put one away, we give the opponent the opportunity to punish us. We learn… We couldn’t do worse in combativeness (compared to Austria, editor’s note), but the result tonight is horrible. I don’t know how we don’t finish a single chance, we’ll have to see that. »
Same disappointment from Rayan Cherki after the meeting: “ It’s a defeat that hurts. We were keen to catch up and our performance this evening was disappointing, offensively and defensively. You have to question yourself! I don’t think it’s a question of learning, we play enough matches not to concede goals like that… We need to play with more desire and aggressiveness to be able to win again. » With the Paris Olympics in perspective in 2024 for this group which will then be open to those aged under 23.
