Ladies’s World Cup: France eases previous Morocco to arrange quarterfinal conflict with Australia

France’s ahead #09 Eugenie Le Sommer celebrates scoring her group’s fourth purpose through the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Ladies’s World Cup spherical of 16 soccer match between France and Morocco at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide on August 8, 2023. (Picture by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Eugenie Le Sommer scored twice as France eased to a 4-0 win over Morocco on the Ladies’s World Cup on Tuesday and arrange a quarterfinal with co-hosts Australia.

Morocco had upset the percentages to qualify for the final 16 on the expense of Germany of their debut look on the event however they by no means managed to put a glove on Herve Renard’s French facet in Adelaide.

Kadidiatou Diani opened the scoring on the quarter-hour mark and it was 3-0 simply after the halfway level within the first half as Kenza Dali and Le Sommer added additional objectives.

Veteran striker Le Sommer, who’s France’s all-time high scorer, netted once more 20 minutes from time earlier than a crowd of 13,557 as Les Bleues superior to the final eight with a minimal of fuss.

They may now play Australia in Brisbane on Saturday, with the winners of that occurring to play both England or Colombia within the semi-finals.

“We fulfilled our goal. You all the time need somewhat bit extra, but it surely’s high-quality,” Renard informed broadcaster M6.

France was knocked out within the quarterfinals as hosts in 2019, shedding to eventual winners the US.

A win towards Australia will see them equal their best-ever efficiency on the World Cup, once they obtained to the final 4 in 2011.

“Now we will begin excited about the quarter-final towards the host nation,” Renard added.

“We’ve matched our efficiency of 4 years in the past, however our goal was to do higher than we did in 2011, so we all know what we have now left to do.”

Requested if his facet might beat the Matildas in entrance of a hostile crowd, he stated: “We’re able to doing it but it surely received’t be straightforward, albeit not straightforward for both group.”

Gulf at school

Whereas France is determined to win a primary main girls’s worldwide title, Morocco got here into this recreation with the stress off, their World Cup already an enormous success.

Their coach, the previous French worldwide midfielder Reynald Pedros, named an unchanged beginning line-up following the 1-0 win over Colombia that sealed their place within the knockout section.

Renard made 5 modifications from the France facet that beat Panama 6-3, together with recalling Sakina Karchaoui at left-back.

Karchaoui, whose dad and mom are Moroccan, arrange the opener with an amazing run down the left flank, a fast alternate of passes with Selma Bacha, and a cross for Diani to nod in.

It was Diani’s fourth purpose on the event after her hat-trick towards Panama within the ultimate group recreation.

The second purpose arrived within the twentieth minute as Diani lower the ball again for Dali to brush residence a first-time end in off the far publish.

And it was 3-0 three minutes after that following a defensive error, with Nesryne El Chad making an attempt to clear however solely succeeding in taking part in the ball off Diani, who arrange Le Sommer.

At that time, Morocco may need feared an excellent heavier defeat than the 6-0 hammering they acquired from Germany of their first recreation.

Nevertheless, France took their foot off the pedal after that and solely scored as soon as extra.

Within the seventieth minute substitute Vicki Becho crossed from the proper for Le Sommer to move in her 92nd worldwide purpose on the again publish.

RELATED STORIES

Learn Subsequent

Do not miss out on the newest information and data.