BrazilVideo
Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 July 2023 | 11:00 am | Women's World Cup | 2022/23 |
Match Report
Renard’s Late Header Sends France Top of Group F
Wendie Renard’s late header puts France top of Group F after beating Brazil 2-1 in a breathless encounter at the Suncorp Stadium.
A first-half header from Eugenie Le Sommer was cancelled out in the second half by an opportunistic strike from Debinha before Renard popped up with the winner in the eighty-second minute to grab all three points for Les Bleues.
France showed early signs of intent by attacking down the right with Kadidiatou Diani providing width and Eugenie Le Sommer drifting wide causing Brazil problems from the off.
The first chance of the game came to Le Sommer when a ball in from the right found the veteran striker alone in the box, but Le Sommer’s glancing header was saved by the strong hand of Leticia in the Brazil goal.
Le Sommer would get another chance a few minutes later and this time France’s greatest-ever goal scorer made no mistake from close range.
France moved the ball with pace out to the left to find left-back Sakina Karchaoui. The French full-back’s deep cross arced towards the back post where Diani controlled a header back across the goal to find Le Sommer, who perfectly headed the ball into the bottom corner.
Brazil responded well to this with a massive chance as Debinha was aware enough to find Adriana alone in the box, but the winger’s wild effort was a big opportunity missed for Pia Sundhage’s side.
Brazil found the first half a chore as they were unable to move the ball with any fluidity, coughing up possession cheaply far too often against a talented France side.
Brazil started the second half a bit brighter but didn’t threaten until a chance came out of nowhere from Brazil’s diminutive attacker, Debinha.
Adrianna collects the ball from the corner of the box and finds Kerolin with a yard of space. The impressive Brazilian midfielder’s shot is blocked but spins into the path of Debinha, who controls the ball well before side-foot volleying the ball past Peyraud-Magnin.
After this goal the game drastically opened up with both sides breaking forward, getting chances and then conceding chances at the other like a basketball match.
But the game would be decided by a set play, courtesy of the French captain Wendie Renard.
Selma Bacha delivered a sublime corner kick to the back post where Renard towered over her marker to head the ball back across the goal to put France ahead.
There would be late drama as Brazil got a free-kick late in the game to the annoyance of French head coach Herve Renard, but the game ended 2-1 and France secured all three points.
Timeline
| 10. Kenza Dali | 10' | |
| 9. Eugenie Le Sommer | 17' | |
| 6. Sandie Toletti | 28' | |
| 44' | 8. Luana | |
| 58' | 99. Debinha | |
| 60' | Geyse Andressa | |
| Eugenie Le Sommer Vicki Becho | 65' | |
| 7. Sakina Karchaoui | 68' | |
| 80' | Adriana Leal da Silva Beatriz | |
| 3. Wendie Renard | 82' | |
| 85' | Debinha Ana Vitoria | |
| 85' | Ary Borges Marta | |
| 85' | Antonia Monica | |
| Kenza Dali Lea Le Garrec | 86' |
Ground
| Suncorp Stadium |
|---|
| Suncorp Stadium, 40, Castlemaine Street, Milton, Brisbane City, Queensland, 4064, Australia |
Conor Cantwell
Conor Cantwell is a freelance sports journalist based in Co. Meath. Conor has been covering club football in Ireland and England since 2022. Conor has a keen interest in soccer, Gaelic games, rugby, tennis and basketball and has been writing blogs about the Premier League and the NBA since 2022.
A late free-kick for Brazil as Bacha fouls Kerolin. Last chance for Brazil.
SEVEN minutes of added time
Dali comes off slowly and Le Garrec comes on in her place.
Antonia, Debinha and Borges come off for Monica, Vitoria and Marta
WENDIE RENARD PUTS FRANCE AHEAD! A beautifully whipped corner from Bacha finds Renard at the back post and the experience centre-back makes no mistake with her close-range header. What a moment for France.
Beatriz comes on in places of Adriana
Luana fires a long-range shot which was deflected well by Renard.
Toletti races in to try poke a deflected Diani shot past Letica but the Brazilian keeper smothers the ball well.
Bacha fires an effort into the side netting of the Brazil goal. It really feels like there is at least one more goal in this game.
Debinha delivers a free kick into the box and finds the foot of Kerolin but her flick cannot be directed towards goal.
Yellow for Karchaoui who probably should have been booked earlier for a similar cynical foul.
Brazil break away but Debinha cannot Adrianna. France break and Becho can't find anyone in the box but the clearance strikes a Brazilian defender and falls to Dali and her shot is blocked well by Tamires. This game has become incredibly open.
Becho does make an impact straight away setting up Geyero for chance but her shot is straight at Leticia who palms it over the bar.
Le Sommer makes way and Becho comes on in her place. Strange one with France really needing to win this game.
Geyse makes way and Andressa comes on in her place
1-1 THANKS TO DEBINHA. Adriana finds Kerolin on the edge of the box and although her shot is blocked well it spins into the box. Debinha reacts quickest to control the ball before passing the ball past the French keeper and levels the game.
Tamires comes in-field and links up with Kerolin but the midfielder's return pass was the only loose pass of a silky Brazilian move that essentially comes to nothing.
The first corner kick of the second half comes the way of France but Brazil deal with the set play routine
Brazil get us underway for the second half.
HALF TIME: The only goal of the game has come the way of France through Eugenie Le Sommer as Les Bleues take a 1-0 lead into the break. Brazil have underwhelmed so far compared to their scintillating display against Panama and have made France look as good as they do at times. France deserver their one-goal lead and are a bit unlucky not to be further ahead. A big second half is on the way for both teams!
Three added minutes at the end of the first half.
Luana picks up the first yellow card for Brazil after a lunging tackle on Toletti.
Karchaoui whips a free kick into the box which is headed out as far as Dali but her shot into the ground is harmless. Brazil come straight up the other end but Antonia's driven shot causes little problems.
Tamires whips a ball into the box and Geyse heads the ball wide. The best option may have been to let the ball go past her as Borges was rushing in but that sums up the first half for the Brazilians.
So far Brazil have not got the ball on the deck and passed between each other like they did against Panama. Not just that but they are giving the ball away very sloppily. A change in approach is needed for the second half.
A sloppy pass from Debinha is picked off by Karchaoui and plays Geyoro in through on goal. Leticia saves brilliantly again before the offside flag is raised.
Adriana collects the loose ball at the halfway line and drives forward with a powerful run that had to be halted by Toletti who was booked for her cynical foul.
There is a bit of bite in this game with several players leaving a little bit extra on every tackle, usually late tackles.
BIG CHANCE FOR BRAZIL! Borges pokes the ball into the box to find Debinha and the veteran striker passes the ball for the unmarked Adriana, but the wingers shot is skied wide.
1-0 TO LES BLEUES! Sakina Karchaoui crosses deep from the left and finds the head of Kadidiatou Diani, whose controlled header back across goal finds Eugenie Le Sommer who diverts her headed effort past Leticia. A well-deserved lead.
Kerolin wins a free kick after Selma Bacha barges into the back of the Brazilian midfielder. Dangerous area for a free kick Adriana fires the free kick wide of the French goal.
HUGE CHANCE! Le Sommer gets free in the box and her glancing header looks destined for the bottom corner, but Leticia dives across and gets a strong hand on the ball to keep it out. France look much stronger than Brazil so far.
Kenza Dali gets booked for a dangerous tackle on Tamires.
Peyraud-Magnin is put under serious pressure by Geyse and the French keeper has to clear the ball away. Brazil have yet to get going so far.
Diani's run down the right creates problems as she crosses into the box. The ball gets dummied by a Brazilian player only for Toletti to get onto the loose ball to strike a weak shot at the Brazil goal.
Le Sommer breaks free down the right and squares it for Diani. The lineswoman call Le Sommer offside but an early sign of intent from Les Blues.
And the game gets underway