(Sydney and Brisbane) England, reigning European champions, joined Australia in the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup, after their narrow success against Colombia (2-1), the surprise guest of the quarters, Saturday in Sydney.
The fourth nation in the FIFA rankings reached the last four for the third time in a row. But so far, she still hasn’t played in the final.
The team coached by Sarina Wiegman seems better, on paper, than the Australians, co-organizers of the tournament, who eliminated France on penalties (0-0 ap, 7-6 t.a.b.) earlier in the day, in Brisbane.
But against Nigeria (0-0 ap, 4-2 tab), in the round of 16, as against the Colombians, two supposedly less strong opponents, the Lionesses suffered to qualify.
The English were behind for the first time in the competition, following the goal of Leicy Santos (44th).
Deprived of their star striker Lauren James, suspended, they were realistic if not brilliant, taking advantage of two gross opposing errors to score, by Lauren Hemp (45th 7) and Alessia Russo (63rd).
The Cafeteras, eliminated, succeeded in their tournament where, for the first time in their history, they disputed the knockout stage.
The 25th world nation made an impression by beating Germany (2-1) in its group, with the support of an impressive wave of supporters who provided the spectacle in the stands.
Against England, Nelson Abadia’s players clung to their dream for a long time, remaining faithful to their uninhibited attacking style, carried by the talent of Mayra Ramirez and Linda Caicedo, two revelations of the World Cup.
The injury exit of experienced defender Carolina Arias (10th) did not destabilize the Cafeteras who were on par with the European champions.
Santos rewarded their efforts with a bit of a gag goal: his cross/shot lobbed goalkeeper Mary Earps, surprised by the trajectory of the shot.
The timing of the opener, just before half-time, was perfect for Colombia, but a handball error by goalkeeper Catalina Perez restarted the game.
Embarrassed by a teammate, she let out a ball which Hemp took advantage of to equalize, as a fox of the surfaces.
The Colombian goalkeeper had a bad night until the end, with an injury that forced her to be replaced in the 67th minute.
The second half started on the same false rhythm in which the Lionesses, running out of ideas, were bogged down until the marking error of Daniela Arias, who let Russo slip behind her back.
The new Arsenal player transformed the opportunity with a nice cross shot, which put England back on the royal road.
The English defense, one of the best in the competition, finished the job, not without a few scares, on a strike from Lorena Bedoya (71st) in particular.
The French women’s team, hardworking at first and then tenacious, was eliminated from the World Cup on Saturday after an interminable penalty shootout against Australia (0-0, 7 tab to 6), pushed by its public in Brisbane, and seeing the goal of the last four once again fly away.
Conversely, the Australians have already succeeded in their World Cup at home by reaching the semi-finals for the first time in their history.
The revolution started in the spring by the charismatic coach of Les Bleues Hervé Renard, who came to take the reins of a women’s team against all odds and for the first time in his career, did not have the expected outcome.
The mentality of the French, Renard’s main line of work and improvement, did not last after extra time, despite clear chances (107, 110, 120th) and an endless penalty shootout going up to ‘on the tenth attempt.
Selma Bacha, newcomer Eve Perisset, Kenza Dali and young Vicki Becho missed their shot, unlike Wendie Renard, Eugénie Le Sommer, Grace Geyoro, Sakina Karchaoui and Maëlle Lakrar. The two saves by goalkeeper Solène Durand and the failed attempt by goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold were in vain.
The mission of the semi-final, 12 years after that of 2011 in Canana, was therefore not accomplished by the former coach of Saudi Arabia, who pulled substitute goalkeeper Solène Durand out of the hat at the end of extra time. , more expert for shots on goal than her counterpart Pauline Peyraud-Magnin. And it almost paid off.
The expected shock of this quarter-final, the fourth for the two nations in a World Cup, was not always there, especially in the first half, where the Australians seemed paralyzed by the event. They woke up late.
Les Bleues, technically above, did not know how to take advantage of it, in particular the young Maëlle Lakrar, physically inside because of her discomfort in one thigh, who missed the inevitable, alone in front of goal (12th), then stumbled on goalkeeper Arnold (32nd). Just before, Kadidiatou Diani, hooked by an Australian defender, had crossed her shot too much (8th).
After largely dominating, Les Bleues scared themselves, especially after an error between goalkeeper Peyraud-Magnin and Karchaoui (41st), but Elisa De Almeida, favorite to Eve Perisset, saved on the line
The Parisian defender gave a full performance and saved her own several times, even though she did not necessarily seem at the level since the start of the World Cup.
The start of the second period was just as complicated for Les Bleues, sometimes messy.
Barely entering the game (53rd), the Australian icon Sam Kerr made the difference on Maëlle Lakrar, serving Halyley Raso who attempted a pure shot saved by the French goalkeeper (56th), who was again on the trajectory (60th ).
The Le Sommer-Diani duo was less prominent than against Morocco or Brazil, in particular Diani, discreet and slow in the start of his calls.
Four years after the disappointment of the World Cup at home, with a quarter-final defeat against the Americans (2-1), and 12 months before a future high mass of women’s soccer in France with the Paris Olympics, the Bleues have once again faltered in the face of pressure and in the face of their destiny.
Reliving the bitter taste of an elimination must hurt the heads of the two executives, Le Sommer as well as captain Wendie Renard, who had retired in the spring to obtain changes in the coaching staff and surely disputed their last World Cup.
