Jean-François Pérès with AFP / Photo credits: FRANCK FIFE / AFP
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6:49 a.m., June 17, 2023
The French team did not force their talent to dominate a very weak formation from Gibraltar 3-0, recording without shining their third victory in as many qualifying matches for Euro-2024, Friday in Faro (Portugal). There was almost no suspense before kick-off due to the abyssal level gap between the vice-world champions and the 201st nation in the FIFA rankings. The Blues confirmed their superiority on the field but without administering a knockout to an opposing eleven yet composed of amateur players, after a rather lackluster performance.
Mbappé the shadow of himself
If the troops of Didier Deschamps did not fall into the trap, as often during international meetings at the end of the season, they were far from being sovereign despite a cascade of opportunities. Admittedly, everything is going well from an accounting point of view for the leader of group B before the reception of Greece (2nd at 3pts with one match less), Monday at the Stade de France, but the show was not there. you and the record of the greatest success in the history of the Blues (10-0 against Azerbaijan in 1995) has never been threatened.
Olivier Giroud’s quick opener in the 3rd minute, on an unstoppable header following a cross from Kingsley Coman, could have augured an attacking festival. But the 54th achievement of the top scorer in the history of the French team was not the expected momentum for the Habs and it was necessary to wait for a penalty from captain Kylian Mbappé after a handball from Gibraltar captain Roy Chipolina ( 45th + 2) to see the Blues give themselves some air before the unfortunate Aymen Mouelhi cheats on his own goalkeeper at the end of the game (78th).
On a lawn in poor condition and in a stadium occupied by barely 5,000 spectators, it was perhaps complicated to produce a flamboyant game but we could hope for a much more successful outing from the finalists of the last World Cup. Eagerly awaited after having entered into a standoff with PSG this week and announcing his intention not to extend his contract beyond 2024, Mbappé was thus a shadow of himself. With his 39th goal in blue, the best gunner in the World Cup is only two points behind Michel Platini (41) but he has rarely made the right choices with a very unusual loss for a player of this size.
Coman, the most restless tricolor
The most stirring Frenchman will have been Coman who, in addition to his decisive pass for Giroud, was one of the only ones to try to provoke his direct opponents with the ball when his teammates were very often satisfied with a school game and without rhythm despite an outrageous domination and four attempts on the post by Aurélien Tchouaméni (29th, 88th), Antoine Griezmann (52nd) and Axel Disasi (90th).
On the other hand, it is difficult to judge the performance of the two rookies, goalkeeper Brice Samba and defender Wesley Fofana, Gibraltar having only defended. The Lens goalkeeper still almost conceded a goal that would certainly have gone around the world on a lob of more than 40 meters from Ayoub El Hmidi after a too soft pass from Griezmann (34th). Nothing to brag about for the France team, which will therefore have ensured the essential, the three points of victory, but without making an impression.