The hour of truth has come for the Bleuets. After being held in check by Portugal when they entered the running (0-0), the players of Gérald Batic played this Saturday a second already capital match in this Euro Espoirs, faced with a Georgia in full confidence. Beating the surprising Caucasian selection, victorious from Poland (2-1) at the opening, was imperative to stay fully in the race in this particularly trashy group. Before the meeting, the tricolor coach had warned against the enthusiasm and dangerousness of the opponent: “Georgia made a solid match against Poland, managing to win in the last minutes. This team has a lot of energy, puts a lot of impact and defends with aggressiveness. She is able to defend high, but also to wait to go out very quickly.” So many assets that forced the Bleuets to stay on their guards, in particular on stopped kicks, a sector where the Georgians had already struck. Aware of the need to tip this second meeting, Batic had chosen to adjust his starting eleven, with the tenrics of Lucien Agoumé and Félix Lemaréchal. The blueberries won the last second after being led until the 89th minute.
In the 34th, France finally concretizes its domination. So far, the Blueberries held the ball without really worrying the Georgian defense. It is ultimately on a clear action that they unlock the situation: Félix Lemaréchal distills a tense center at the first post, perfectly dosed for Mathys Tel. The Bayern Munich striker arises and places a head, pushed back from a spectacular tap by the Georgian goalkeeper. But on his head, such is violently touched in the face by a high foot of Sazonov. The referee does not hesitate: penalty. The Blueberry striker gets up, takes responsibility, and transforms with composure by taking the doorman on the wrong foot. 1-0 for blueberries. Huge opportunity for tricolors in the 74th minute! Matthis Abbline escapes in the axis of the field, erases two Georgians on his race, and finds himself alone in front of the goalkeeper. Its stretched and powerful strike, halfway up, seems unstoppable … But the Georgian porter takes out an exceptional stop and deviates the ball on the transverse bar. A monumental reflex gesture that keeps Georgia in the match. A few minutes later, Abline lost a dangerous full axis balloon, about twenty meters from its goal. Georgia immediately benefits: Mamageishvili recovers and, from a subtle heel, finds Abuashvili at the entrance to the surface. The Georgian continues without control and perfectly crosses his shot. Leftovers is beaten. Equalization on the first real opposing foray (76 '). 1-1, everything has to be redone for the Bleuets.
Last 20 minutes of madness
Georgia continues to believe it. Kvernadze is perfectly launched on the right side and addresses a center stretched at the ground. At the reception, Gordeziani triggers a powerful strike at close range, about seven meters from the goal. But Chrislain Matsima intervenes at the last moment and deviates the ball in a corner of a saving tackle (83 '). On the following action, after a very poorly drawn corner, Azarovi sends a sumptuous center from the left flank. In the surface, Sazonov-the central defender who remained at the forefront after the corner-takes over in the air. Alone, he places a powerful head and finds the bottom of the nets (1-2). A new regret for the blueberries, especially since Sazonov could have received a second yellow card about twenty minutes earlier, on a late intervention not sanctioned on an action initiated full axis, Lucien Agoumé finds a millimeter opening in the area for Johann Lepenant. The middle of OL controls and perfectly crosses its strike from the law. The ball comes to die in the small opposite net. Blueberries equalize at 2-2 at the end of the suspense. In the 89th minute, France thinks of doing the break. Thierno Barry is ideally served by a marvel of Terre de Terre signed Quentin Merlin. The attacker takes over his vis-à-vis and pushes the ball to the bottom, while the Georgian goalkeeper is slow to get out. 3-2? No. After two long minutes of waiting, the Var intervenes: the goal is refused for an offside of a ball joint. Cruel. On a final ball, Castello Lukeba, mounted at the forefront in the end of the breathtaking match, prolongs the head towards Thierno Barry. The attacker throws himself, alone facing the empty goal, and pushes the ball to the bottom. 2-3 for France, at the end of the suspense, in the 102nd minute. Exhausted and touched, Lukeba stays on the ground for a long time. France will play its qualification during its third group match against Poland. This meeting will take place Tuesday, June 17 (6 p.m.). The Blueberries will have Polish in a sad form after their defeat against Portugal (5-0). At the same time, Georgians and Portuguese will also compete for their qualification. Portugal is in the lead with 4 points, just like France. Note that only the first two are qualified and that in the event of equality, the particular goal difference takes precedence over the goal difference.
Blueberries won in the 102nd minute against Georgia
The hour of truth has come for the Bleuets. After being held in check by Portugal when they entered the running (0-0), the players of Gérald Batic played this Saturday a second already capital match in this Euro Espoirs, faced with a Georgia in full confidence. Beating the surprising Caucasian selection, victorious from Poland (2-1) at the opening, was imperative to stay fully in the race in this particularly trashy group.
