PLAYER RATINGS | France 0-0 Jamaica: Wasteful Bleues start Women’s World Cup with stalemate
France kicked off their 2023 Women’s World Cup campaign with a goalless draw against Jamaica in the Group E opener. Hervé Renard has failed to win his first competitive game since replacing Corinne Diacre as head of Les Bleues last March. The former Saudi Arabia manager opted for a 4-4-2 formation with Kadidiatou Diani and veteran striker Eugénie Le Sommer up front. Les Bleues initially struggled to match the Reggae Girlz’s physicality, with Amel Majri and company committing too many fouls.
France’s shortcomings were also on a technical level. Les Bleues lost possession all too easily through unforced errors, misplaced passes, over-powered crosses or avoidable offsides. Fortunately, Jamaica failed to make it count as captain Wendie Renard proved an ever-reliable rock at the back. Renard’s team eventually grew into the game before half-time. The industrious Clara Matéo found Diani whose right-footed low shot was thwarted by Jamaican goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer. The former PSG forward went close to wrong-foot Spencer with a deflected half-volley.
France went up a gear on the second half, tightening their grip in proceedings but ultimately failing to find the back of the net. Renard rang the changes with Matéo and Majri trading places with Kenda Dali and Vicky Becho. The best opportunities for France to break the deadlock fell to Diani, whose header went just wide. As the Sydney Football Stadium’s pitch became rain-soaked, France kept being comfortable at keeping Jamaica at bay, but that was the least they could do.
Eventually, France were let down by their inability to find the cracks in a tight-knit but straightforward defensive set-up as well as by their wastefulness in Jamaica’s penalty box. Les Bleues only logged five
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