Far from being the favorite for the Women’s Euro 2022, the Belgians have nevertheless achieved an honorable course, in particular thanks to their goalkeeper Nicky Evrard.
Modest outsider with a 19 place in the world during this Women’s Euro 2022, Belgium was taken out of the competition on Friday July 22. Flames” however, do not have to be ashamed of their performance. After qualifying for the quarter-finals in a strong group (France, Italy, Iceland), they stood up to the Swedes, the best European nation in the FIFA rankings. They finally cracked at the last minute of added time and lost 1-0.
This honorable performance is notably due to their guardian, Nicky Evrard. The latter notably rejected a penalty during the match against Iceland, preserving the draw. Otherwise, the Belgians would not have qualified. She did it again against French captain Wendy Renard on July 14 (2-1). Against Sweden, it was only the ninth Scandinavian shot on target, while Nicky Evrard was down after another stoppage, which found the net.
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Lubricant and superstition
The player said she has a little secret that would help her stop the kicks: petroleum jelly. She usually coats her gloves and the base of her posts with it. “It dates from a match played with the Flames in Kosovo,” she told the RTBF. “Before each match, I have the habit of putting Vaseline on my gloves, and in Kosovo, I lined the right post of my goal with it. And that day, I stopped two penalties”said the guardian.
Vaseline having lubricating properties, it can both facilitate the deflection of a ball, but also the make it more difficult to capture. But for Nicky Evrard, this seems to be more sporting superstition than real logic based on chemistry. Since that match in Kosovo, “with Davina Vanmechelen [attaquante belge, NDLR]we have the same ritual: we coat the foot of the posts of my goal with Vaseline… I know it’s weird stuff… but I did it again this Sunday, and obviously it brought me luck”she smiles.
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