USWNT: A Rematch with France in The Algarve Cup Final

This Was Not The France That The World Will See In June

Jun 19, 2014; East Hartford, CT, USA; France forward Eugenie Le Sommer works the ball against USA defenseman Ali Krieger in the first half in the Women’s Friendly at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

I think this match may have been 45% about the USWNT looking better than it has lately, and 55% about France showing badly. Without key pieces like Renard or Thomis seeing the pitch, and after a lot of effort expended by players like Le Sommer and Thiney to take on Japan, this was not France’s best game of late, particularly when you consider the highly compact nature of a tournament like the Algarve Cup.

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Les Bleues looked gassed, and their attackers were clearly exhausted before the end of the first half. And yet, they still managed to dominate time of possession and shots on goal, because the US was often content to lurk in their defensive half and pressure on the counter, and didn’t feel the need to win a lot of balls from France. The irony of what was essentially an American bunkering strategy is not lost on me. Le Sommer’s threat to score is heavily magnified with the presence of a great strike partner like her Lyon teammate Thomis, or with competent runs by Thiney, which just weren’t happening. And while Abily made the attacking point of the French midfield look pernicious at times, there just wasn’t enough heft behind many of the attempts on goal.

The French attack often looked as though they’d been beaten before they ever got started on a run. There was really no excuse for anemic attacking play that got quite a few more looks on goal than the US, despite playing with a somewhat uninspired back line that was missing its most important piece, captain Wendie Renard. Few of the shots that France took were much of a struggle for an increasingly self-assured Hope Solo. The two good shots that the French got were quickly smothered, and the poorly taken penalty kick was essentially the end of the game, as it seemed to sap all the energy from a team that could just as easily won the match 3-2.

That said, I think it’s a bit simplistic to point to last month’s result against the US (and Wednesday’s performance by comparison) as evidence that France peaked too early. We just don’t have enough information about what is going on with this team to make a definitive assessment just yet.

Next: Other Notes