Although it was not difficult for her to rise above the Belgian left back: Davina Philtjens is only 1.80 meters. Five minutes later it almost happened again, when Karchaoui crosses and Diani shoved in. But this time, Belgian keeper Nicky Evrard did well to push her shot into the post.
The two coaches, Belgium’s Ives Semeels and France’s Corinne Diacre, were decked out in identical outfits of formal suits paired with box-fresh white sneakers. And it was Semeels whose side will have hinted at France’s coming adversaries as to how they can be vanquished.
The ball was played into former Manchester City forward Tessa Wullaert from the back, who quickly worked the ball in behind the French goal line. Janice Cayman was there to score for Wendie Renard, who looked less like a French titan but more of an unwieldy liability. It may have been their first venture into the French territory, but Roberto Martinez, the manager of the Belgian men’s team, looking to add his support there, was delighted by its pleasing simplicity.
Parity, however, was short-lived. Perisset piled up almost immediately and won a corner. Clara Mateo took it, the ball was shoved back to her, she crossed and Griedge Mbock Bathy headed home.
After that, France seemed to sink into lethargy. The fizz seeped from their football; Renard’s unfortunate penalty miss at the end summed up their evening. A visibly irritated Diacre knows that her team will have to stay more alert in the knockout phase. Otherwise, their campaign will be killed by complacency.