Corinne Deacon (France): “I hope the result will be the fireworks of our national holiday” – L’Équipe

“After the victory against Italy (5-1), do you fear that your opponents will set up a very low block that is difficult to circumvent?
We expect everything. We have been working on several things for a while. In a few qualifying matches for the World Cup, we came across this kind of team. We were able to answer at that time, so if it should happen tomorrow (Thursday), we will find the answers. How important is it in a competition like this to qualify in the second match?
It does not change anything, because we will wait for the result of Italy-Iceland (6:00 p.m. Thursday). This second match will perhaps not guarantee us qualification. In any case, we will not have finished our mini-league of three matches. What were the words for your team, after the victory against Italy, to avoid overconfidence against Belgium?
I didn’t need to talk much, because on their own, after the match, they were focused on their recovery and on the match tomorrow (Thursday). We talk about osmosis between the old and the young, we can say that there is an osmosis between the players and the staff. We didn’t have to say it. The girls know what they have to do, we know what our goal is. “We work with a group, there are only eleven starting places: eleven start, twelve wait. The twelve who wait have the same state of mind as those who start. “Is the idea to offer an additional base to this typical team against Belgium?
Everything is possible. I didn’t have time to chat with my assistants because we left quickly after the day’s session. The watchword after Italy was to recover well, to prepare well for the match tomorrow (Thursday). We have a night of reflection left before announcing to the players who will play. I can count on my 23 players, it’s important for me. How did Griedge Mbock experience his non-establishment against Italy?
I speak with my players, I speak with all my players. We work with a group, there are only eleven starting places: eleven start, twelve wait. The twelve who wait have the same state of mind as those who start. We may need everyone, especially over the duration of the competition. Griedge Mbock, in training with Les Bleues. (A. Réau/L’Équipe) What did you dislike against Italy and what do you want to see again against Belgium?
What I especially want to see again are goals. Nothing bothered me. A football game cannot be 100% perfect. We pointed out two or three little things, offensively, defensively. Nothing bothered me. The girls are fighting, you can’t be disappointed. They proved that they really wanted to. The objective is to repeat the same performance tomorrow.
This match will be played on July 14, symbolically is it important?
We think about it, of course. But we mustn’t get the wrong objective. We have a game to play, to win. I hope that the match and the result will be the fireworks of our national holiday. Wendie Renard: “focused, determined and diligent”