After a victory over, among others, the Dutch national team, France faces a crucial match in the quarterfinals of the European Women’s Football Championship in Switzerland on Saturday. Favorite Germany is the opponent. Will the quarterfinal trauma break the French again?
9:00 PM: France-Germany (Basel)
2-1 against defending champion England, 4-1 against Wales and 5-2 against the Netherlands: France’s triumphant march through the group stage of this European Championship made a big impression at home and abroad. After years of hope, the French women finally seem to be realizing their potential. And that without the passed icon Wendie Renard.
France must deal with the demons of the past against Germany, because the French struggle with a real quarterfinal trauma. In eight of the last eleven final tournaments (European Championships, World Cups and Olympic Games), the quarterfinals were the final destination.
At the European Championship of 2022 in England, the French finally dealt with that trauma at the expense of the Dutch national team (1-0 after extra time). Last year it went wrong again in the quarterfinals at the Olympic Games in Paris. French coach Laurent Bonadei will therefore have to be careful.
With Germany, France meets the losing finalist of the European Championship of 2022. The Germans don’t seem as good as they were then. Sub-topper Sweden won 4-1 against Germany in the group stage, although that was partly due to an early red card from Germany. Sweden was already leading 2-1 at that time.
France-Germany was also a poster in the semi-finals of the Nations League last year. Then France won 2-1 against the eight-time European champion. It could just turn out to be a victory for the French again tonight. That might mean a turning point in the history of women’s football. The winner will play against top favorite Spain in the semi-finals.
Player to watch: For the French women, much revolves around Delphine Cascarino (28), which was also clear last week in the match against the Dutch national team, when she scored twice and gave two assists. The attacker is a handful pur sang: fast, skilled and effective. If she’s on a roll, Germany has to fear.