ADELAIDE, Australia — France coach Herve Renard high-fived his workers on the sideline because it turned clear his crew was on its approach to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup.
Only 23 minutes had been performed at Adelaide’s Hindmarsh Stadium on Tuesday, however France was already 3-0 up in opposition to Morocco and on the right track for a showdown with co-host Australia.
The French scored as soon as extra within the second half to win 4-0 and finish Morocco’s historic debut run on the World Cup.
“The result speaks for itself,” Renard stated. “We were able to score four times and now we’ve got a foot in the door for the quarterfinals. Things are getting a little bit heated. Only eight teams left in the running. The objective now is to pull off the best performance that the French team has ever done.”
France took fourth place in 2011 and that is the fourth straight time it has superior to the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
A 3-goal burst in 9 minutes took the sport away from Morocco, with Kadidiatou Diani, Kenza Dali and Eugenie Le Sommer all scoring early within the match.
PHOTOS: France ends Morocco’s run and advances to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup
Le Sommer, who’s France’s all-time main scorer, headed in a fourth within the seventieth minute to finish the win. She has now scored 92 objectives for her nation – greater than any French participant, male or feminine.
“Her game was exceptional,” Renard stated. “Her legs, it was as if she was 25… I hope that this lasts. Each time I’m actually blown away by what she’s capable of doing.”
Renard is aware of France has a large process to get previous Australia when the groups meet in Brisbane on Saturday for a spot within the semifinals.
France misplaced a pleasant to the Matildas main into the event. But Renard stated the stress of being a co-host, together with New Zealand, might weigh closely on the Australians in entrance of their dwelling followers.
France was eradicated as hosts within the quarterfinals in 2019.
“It can be hugely disappointing, and it was for France when they were knocked out in the quarterfinals,” Renard stated. “And we are hoping to put Australia through exactly what France went through when they were the host country… We’ve come with great ambition and if you come with great ambition you need to be capable of beating the best teams.”
Morocco’s event is over after it turned the primary Arab nation to advance to the knockout stage.
The Atlas Lions have been additionally the primary Arab crew to register a win on the Women’s World Cup by beating South Korea within the group stage. They adopted that by upsetting group winner Colombia to advance to the spherical of 16 on the expense of No. 2-ranked Germany.
But overcoming France, one of many event favorites, was a step too far for Reynald Pedros’ crew.
“I’m not disappointed, because we got to the round of 16. This was our first World Cup and we knew that the further in the competition we got, the harder it would be,” Pedros stated.
He added that his crew’s success was much more exceptional than Morocco’s historic semifinals run on the males’s World Cup final 12 months.
“Let’s not forget that three years ago we were just putting together a women’s team in Morocco,” he stated.
Diani opened the scoring for France within the fifteenth minute when she was left unmarked in entrance of objective to move in Sakina Karchaoui’s cross from the left.
It was Diani’s fourth objective of the event after her hat trick in France’s 6-3 win over Panama in its closing Group F match.
Dali scored 5 minutes later after Diani in the reduction of from the correct. Dali struck a first-time shot low into the nook to beat Morocco goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi.
And France was 3-0 up when Diani blocked the tried clearance of Nesryne El Chad into the trail of Le Sommer to transform.
Le Sommer acquired a second objective when she headed it in on the far submit from Vicki Becho’s looping cross with 20 minutes left in regulation.
Australia superior to the quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over Denmark. Star striker Sam Kerr returned from a calf harm to make her first look at this World Cup. She was a second-half substitute in opposition to the Danes.
Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com