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Wendie Renard’s twice-taken penalty takes France past Nigeria


Wendie Renard went from villain to hero in the space of two minutes, scoring her retaken penalty after a double VAR check to ensure France progress to the last-16 having topped Group A.

With the sun setting the home team were given arguably their most vocal welcome of the tournament. The Rennes ultras – known for their flares, flags, coordinated celebrations, drums and constant singing – were out in force for Les Bleues, a constant loud presence at their usual home in the Tribune Mordelles.

France laboured early on though against a side that secured a surprise three points against the run of play in a 2-0 defeat of South Korea. The four changes to the French starting XI – including the Lyon forwards Eugénie Le Sommer and Kadidiatou Diani – clearly having disrupted their rhythm.

With African teams have only twice beaten European opposition at this tournament – there have also been 15 losses and two draws – and the host nation never having lost their final group game the likelihood of a upset was slim.

An early Nigeria corner saw France’s goalkeeper, Sarah Bouhaddi, caught out but Desire Oparanozie could not quite connect enough under the pressure of two French defender who were able to almost fumble it clear.

From there though the pressure was all France’s. Delphine Cascarino was by far their brightest outlet on the right, causing problems for the left-back, Ngozi Ebere, who eventually picked up a yellow for clearing out the 22-year-old, but without Diani and Le Sommer, and Valérie Gauvin quiet, Cascarino was forced to resort to play for corners rather than whipping balls into more dangerous areas.

Set-pieces offered greater promise with the height of Renard and Griedge Mbock trotting upfield to give the centre backs in green and white more to worry about. Neither side though, had a first-half shot on target – the second game of the tournament to have done so, Argentina’s stalemate with Japan the other. A volley wide of the near post from Amandine Henry perhaps the best attempt of a lacklustre half.

The performances of French players surely hoping to play their way into contention for the latter stages of the competition were wanting, with the forward Viviane Asseyi of Bordeaux and Paris FC’s Charlotte Bilbault particularly anonymous.

As the teams came out of the tunnel mobile phone lights were held aloft, perhaps hoping to prompt a more electric response on the pitch.

France looked to match the instant breakthrough they made against Norway, a Gaëtane Thiney free-kick was whipped on to the head of Renard but she could not direct it goalwards. There was more purpose to France’s play, Amal Majri and Asseyi looked to even up their lopsided attack on the left, but the latter’s mazy runs were lacking the final ball, short passes picked off with ease by the organised Nigeria back line – a lack of understanding with her teammates evident.

France should have taken the lead when, under no pressure, Thiney fired wide of the goal after a Cascarino cut-back. In order to perhaps reinstall some fluidity, on came Diani and Le Sommer to a roar of delight from the crowd.

Asseyi now out wide in Cascarino’s place, she instantly looked better for the move. A delightful cross just missed by an onrushing Thiney.

The changes to the line up suggested that perhaps Corinne Diacre had underestimated her opposition. This is a much better prepared Super Falcons team than the one that did not have a game between the 2016 African Cup of Nations and April 2018. The side have often had quality players to paper over the cracks of severe underfunding, but now, under Thomas Dennerby, they look a more professional outfit and it showed here.

It was a moment of madness that killed Nigerian hopes, Ebere felling a rejuvenated Asseyi from behind and up stepped Renard to take the spot kick after a pause to consult the VAR. Her stuttered run and tame effort pinged off the post but after another VAR check Chiamaka Nnadozie was adjudged to have moved off her line before the ball was hit and Renard had a shot at redemption, this time making no mistake.



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