historic defeat but without consequence for the Blues

The eighth attempt was still not the right one for Croatia on October 14 in Zagreb (1-2). Finland’s ninth against the France team will remain in the annals of a whole people. After eight straight setbacks against the Blues since 1960, the last in October 2013 (3-0), Finland managed the feat of beating the France team, which is more in Saint-Denis, Wednesday 11 November (0 -2).

The first hero of the evening is called Marcus Forss, author of the opening scoring in the 28th minute, after a very good start from the Blues and their newcomer Marcus Thuram. As in the dreams of the coach of the 55th nation in the world (France is second behind Belgium), Markku Kanerva, Onni Valakari signed the goal of the break to the “Hiboux Grands-Ducs” (“Huuhkajat”) three minutes later, with a superb strike from the left (31st).

Certainly, the starting 11 aligned by Didier Deschamps with only two holders of the 2018 World Cup final – Paul Pogba and Olivier Giroud – was far from the typical team. But this defeat reminds the world champions that they will not be able to surf their success forever, which the last matches tended to suggest. The Blues were unbeaten for 12 matches (10 wins, 2 draws) and a loss in Turkey in June 2019.

This time, no friendly cardboard

On the cold lawn of a Stade de France behind closed doors, the stake was certainly zero or almost, in the middle of an autumn overloaded with meetings. Kylian Mbappé, Raphaël Varane and Lucas Hernandez certainly did not play, while Antoine Griezmann only came into play for half an hour.

But none of these arguments will be enough to excuse the insipid performance of the French, overwhelmed by the murderous reminders of the 55th world nation. If against Ukraine in October (7-1), the friendly match at the two Nations League matches had been synonymous with a promising offensive festival, the friendly against Finland a month later was rather a huge passage through, without imagination.

And here are the Blues in doubt, three days before the most important trip of their year 2020, to Lisbon at Cristiano Ronaldo. It will be necessary to win or draw a match with at least one goal scored to take the lead of group 3 of the League of Nations alone before receiving Sweden on Tuesday, November 17, again in Saint-Denis.

Third defeat since the World Cup

This third defeat since the World Cup (after 2-0 losses in the Netherlands and Turkey) is also for the Blues the first at home for almost two years and a friendly against Colombia in March 2018 (3-2). We also had to go back to 2010 to find traces of two consecutive scoreless matches at the Stade de France.

The first selection of Marcus Thuram (23 years old) should have been a party for the son of Lilian, 12 years and five months after the 142nd and last cape of his dad (record). It ended in frustration for the Mönchengladbach striker, the most prominent man of the Blues but also, inevitably, the one who lacked the most realism (bar in the 15th, volley above in the 17th, shot countered in the 45th + 1, shot captured at the 70th …).

Conversely these are the two newcomers of the Finnish selection who burst the screen. Another Marcus, Forss of his last name, sublimated a loss of ball of Moussa Sissoko (28th). And Onni Valakari crucified Steve Mandanda with a long shot (31st), left alone by Paul Pogba and Steven Nzonzi after a bad pass from Wissam Ben Yedder.

No 43rd goal for Giroud

In two forays, the Finnish selection has proven that it did not qualify for its first Euro by chance, and that it could be dangerous, even with a team also completely changed from its eleven type. , winner last month against Ireland and Bulgaria.

Blue side, Sissoko and Nzonzi missed the opportunity to score points seven months away from the Euro. Pogba, lacking rhythm at Manchester United, failed in his reconquest of confidence, like Olivier Giroud, usually intractable in this kind of unbalanced duel on paper.

Place in Portugal

Due to injuries, only 21 players, including three goalkeepers, warmed up out of the 26 available. Kylian Mbappé, Benjamin Pavard, Hugo Lloris, Corentin Tolisso, Adrien Rabiot: all these regular residents of the eleven have not even set foot on the lawn, most of them still on the floor, in a sprint to get them back on their feet for the trip in Lisbon on Saturday.

It will undoubtedly be necessary that several of them find their feelings as quickly as possible. Because Saturday November 14 (8:45 p.m.) at the Stade de la Luz, there will be in the opposing team a five-fold Ballon d’Or ready to rush into the slightest breach.

Fich technique:

Friendly game
In Saint-Denis (Stade de France): Finland beats France 2-0 (half-time: 2-0)
Closed game
Referee: N. Popov (BUL)
Buts :
Finland: Forss (28), Valakari (31)
The teams :
France: Mandanda (cap) – Dubois (Aguilar 71), Zouma, Lenglet (Varane 80), Digne – Sissoko, N’Zonzi, Pogba (Kanté 57), Thuram – Ben Yedder (Griezmann 57), Giroud (Martial 57)
Coach: Didier Deschamps
Finland: Joronen – Hamalainen, O’Shaughnessy, Ojala (Toivio 66), Vaisanen (Arajuuri 75) – Forss, Kauko, Karjalainen (Kamara 67), Schüller (cap) (Pukki 80) – Niskanen (Alho 67), Valakari (Taylor 75)
Entraîneur: Markku Kanerva

The film of the evening /

11:01 p.m. – Finland wins 2-0 at the Stade de France!

93rd – New strike from Griezmann who flirts with the left post of Joronen.

92e – Griezmann tries to make the difference in the area but his shot is countered for a corner.

90e – 4 minutes of additional time.

89e – Martial’s strike from just above Joronen’s goal.

85e – Still sterile domination of the France team.

80e – Varane enters instead of Lenglet on the French side.

79e – Kanté volley not framed on a Martial cross.

78e – The Finnish defense is still holding, like the center behind Sissoko perfectly cut.

74e – Aguilar gets a corner right side. Zouma’s smashed head goes overhead.

72e – First selection for Ruben Aguilar, who replaces Léo Dubois.

71e – Marcus Thuram’s shot on target is not supported enough.

69e – Griezmann’s distant free kick is repelled by the Finns.

66e – Zouma tries his luck from afar, it’s safe for Finland, who will make two changes.

65e – Finland is again largely dominated but still tries to punish the Blues against.

62e – Sissoko’s cross for Nzonzi’s head, not on target.

61e – The Blues insisting on the edge of the Finnish surface, this action ends with a volley from Sissoko well above.

57th – Triple change on the French side: Giroud, Ben Yedder and Pogba give way to Martial, Griezmann and Kanté.

54e – Joronen still impeccable on the center of Digne.

52e – Pogba’s cross lacks precision.

51e – Kanté and Martial warm up with Griezmann.

49th – Mandanda steps in to ward off a Finnish strike for a corner.

48e – Another excellent free kick for Finland after a foul by Zouma.

22:12 – Kick-off of the second period given by the Blues. No change to report, although Griezmann is warming up.

22h11 – Deschamps evokes “100% efficiency” for the Finns.

9:57 pm – Half-time in Saint-Denis with a score of 2-0 in favor of Finland, which has never beaten France in eight confrontations.

43e – The Blues lack technical accuracy and no longer manage to be dangerous.

40e – Confidently, the Finns still manage to approach the French surface, without success this time.

36e – Valakari gets an excellent full axis free kick at 25m for Finland. The French wall pushes back for a corner, which gives nothing.

34e – Thuram volleying cross for Giroud. Corner.

31st – And two for Finland! Superb strike from the left of Valakari in the right window of Mandanda. 0-2.

28th – Finland opens the scoring! 0-1. After a loss of ball from Sissoko, Forss accelerates full axis and takes over Lenglet before beating Mandanda.

26th – The French left side still at work, it ends with a cross from Digne that Dubois cannot control.

23e – Recovery of Pogba, Thuram inherits the ball and strikes in first intention of the right. Still above.

22e – Sissoko tries the right volley on this new corner. Above.

21e – Ben Yedder in pivot on a new corner from Digne, it is rejected by the keeper.

18th – Thuram again, for a flat right foot which flies away while he was alone facing goal on a Dubois cross.

16th – Thuram finds the cross with a header on a corner from Digne.

11e – Lucas Digne hit well captured by Joronen.

10e – The Blues are still attacking the left side, Finland once again pushes back the danger.

8e – Thuram seeks the one-two with Giroud, the Scandinavians interrupt the action.

6e – Center of Digne for Giroud who places his head, but it is not on target.

5e – The first corner of the match is in favor of Finland. Kurt Zouma clears him with his head.

2e minute – First French center signed Léo Dubois, the Finnish goalkeeper easily grabs the ball.

9:10 p.m. – It’s gone to the Stade de France after a minute of applause in tribute to Bruno Martini. The Finns kicked off.

21h06 – Make way for national anthems.

21h03 – Of course, this meeting takes place behind closed doors at the Stade de France.

20h56 – Finland is one of the 37 nations (out of 80) which have never beaten the France team.

20h49 – During the last France-Finland (3-0), on Tuesday October 15, 2013 in Saint-Denis in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Franck Ribéry opened the scoring early (8th), before goals at the end of the match from Joona Toivio against his camp (76th) and Karim Benzema (87th). Samir Nasri, Mathieu Valbuena or Patrice Evra were also on the lawn.

20h38 – The Finns have just beaten Ireland (1-0) and Bulgaria (2-0) at home in the Nations League. However, they took to the water in Poland (5-1) in early October in a friendly.

20h27 – The Blues are undefeated for 12 games (10 wins, 2 draws) and one defeat in Turkey (2-0) in June 2019. They have lost only 3 of their last 41 matches.

20h16 – And here is the composition of the Finland team: