France v Norway

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France v Norway

Last Sixteen Looms As France Pass Norwegian Test

by Jeremy Ruane

FIFA Women's World Cup Finals hosts France look set to progress to the knockout stages of the tournament after overcoming a strong test of their credentials by Norway on June 12.

34,872 fans piled into the Stade de Nice to see "Les Bleus" record a 2-1 victory over their Scandinavian rivals, who were left seething by the influence of the Video Assistant Referee over an incident twenty minutes from time which ultimately settled the contest.

German referee Bibiana Steinhaus had controlled this match to perfection in her usual inimitable style, and saw nothing untoward when Norway's Ingrid Engen clashed with Marion Torrent in the Norwegian penalty area in the 68th minute, despite the fact the French fullback was left on the ground as a result.

The VAR saw things differently, however, with the evidence suggesting that Engen had gone over the top on her opponent, planting her boot into Torrent's thigh. When Steinhaus saw the evidence on her screen, a penalty was awarded to France and Engen was booked.

The change of circumstances saw the Norwegians go nuts, and the match official had to remind their captain, Maren Mjelde, of her team's obligations to fair play before the outstanding Eugenie Le Sommer restored France's lead from the spot eighteen minutes from time.

The French had begun the game strongly, forcing three set-piece attacks in the first five minutes. While these proved fruitless, they set the tone for the home team, only for Norway to respond via a couple of promising raids, the best of them seeing Karina Saevik volley Guro Reiten's cross past the post.

After impressive fullback Amel Majri had cleared off the line to prevent Engen from opening the scoring in the fourteenth minute with a header from a corner, France piled on the pressure at the other end of the park.

Le Sommer floored a defender with a goalbound piledriver, while Kadidiatou Diani drilled one narrowly past the post after the excellent Amandine Henry had engineered the opening. And after Le Sommer had been denied by some solid defending, Diani evaded a challenge before setting up the recalled Valerie Gauvin, who shot tamely at Ingrid Hjelmseth.

Still France pressed, with Torrent's 25th minute cross prompting attempts to break the deadlock by both Gaetane Thiney and Le Sommer. Seconds later, a Gauvin back-header was greedily grabbed by Hjelmseth after towering French defender Wendie Renard had gone down in the penalty area in the aftermath of a corner.

Diani's pace was a constant source of trouble to the Norwegians, with fullback Kristine Minde in particular struggling to contain the speedster, who too often failed to match that attribute with quality deliveries into the danger zone. Had her crosses been more adequate, Hjelmseth would have had a far busier night at the office.

Le Sommer and Majri combined in the 36th minute to present Thiney with a headed chance, but as happened with so many other French opportunities, Norway's defenders were rock-like in their resolve not to concede, maintaining a clean sheet right through to half-time with Elise Bussaglia the last

native to fire a shot in anger for no reward before the break.

Just prior to it, Ingrid Wold stung the gloves of Sarah Bouhaddi at her near post as the Norwegians reminded France that they, too, had their sights set on progressing to the next round, a warning which drew an incredible French response right at the start of the second spell.

Straight from the kick-off, Henry surged forward through the inside left channel, with Majri steaming up outside her on the overlap. Her low cross was steered home from six yards by Gauvin just 45 seconds after the sound of referee Steinhaus' whistle to resume play.

Norway were still reeling from that blow when France produced a super move deserving of a goal in the 53rd minute. Le Sommer, Majri and Gauvin worked their way forward down the left before the fullback brought Henry into play.

The French captain played a one-two with her fullback before curling a cross towards the far post, where Gauvin and Le Sommer had run to in anticipation of the delivery. Both rose to head it goalwards, but unfortunately for France, the wrong player headed the ball - Le Sommer was the better-placed player to inflict damage, but Gauvin got in ahead of her and directed her header over the bar.

Norway responded to this scare by going down the other end of the park and levelling the scores, via the unlikeliest of sources. Vilde Risa and Engen teamed up in midfield, with the latter releasing Isabell Herlovsen down the left. There was no danger posed by her cross into the goalmouth, but Renard inexplicably directed it into her own net - 1-1.

Urged on by the near-capacity crowd, France stormed back, Thiney leading a counter-attack with Diani and Gauvin in support. The latter was afforded the shooting chance by a ricochet off Mjelde, only to direct her attempt straight at Hjelmseth, who tipped another shot from the striker round the post on the hour mark, having been forced into a scrambled clearance by Mjelde's under-hit back-pass seconds prior.

Then came the penalty incident, which took the wind from Norway's sails. While they pressed for an equaliser, they were vulnerable to the counter-attack, and one such raid, in the 89th minute, should have seen France finish the job.

Le Sommer led the charge, linking with Diani and substitute Delphine Cascarino, who evaded a challenge before getting to the byline and fizzing in a cross which flew beyond the incoming figures of Le Sommer and Diani.

Norway mounted a late raid, but it was a case of too little, too late for the beaten team, whose lone shot on target was the goal Renard gifted them - it simply wasn't enough to deny France their due, and they should go on to top the group with victory over Nigeria in Rennes in five days' time.

France: Bouhaddi; Torrent, Mbock Bathy, Renard, Majri; Henry, Thiney (Bilbault, 82), Bussaglia; Diani, Gauvin (Cascarino, 85), Le Sommer (booked, 55)

Norway: Hjelmseth; Wold (Hansen, 86), Mjelde, Thorisdottir, Minde; Saevik (Utland, 76), Risa (Maanum, 90), Engen (booked, 70), Reiten; Graham, Herlovsen

Referee: Bibiana Steinhaus (Germany)

Group Matches