Women’s Euros: France Second Half Beats the Dutch

In the final group stage match of Group D, the French were looking to finish off their trip to the knockout stage as they wanted to knock off the Netherlands at St. Jakob Park in Basel, Switzerland. A bit of a hiccup in the opening 45 minutes, but when the second half began, it was all over as the French took the top of Group D and advanced comfortably with a five goals to two victory.

France opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. Selma Bacha was attacking down the near side, but saw Marie-Antoinette Katoto. She would move down inside the area, then back, and found Sandie Toletti in the middle of the park. She settled the ball, took a shot that bounced, and maneuvered away from the keeper to score the goal and get the lead.

The Dutch, however, wanted to get their equalizer, and did so. Four minutes later, the ball was on the far side of the pitch. Receiving the ball was Victoria Pelova, and she saw her teammate wide open. Crossed it to Chasity Grant at the near side, as she took the shot, it was saved by Pauline Payrud-Magnin, but the rebound went back to Pelova, who settled it and ripped it back on frame for the tying goal.

In the 41st minute, a big mistake was made by the French. As the Dutch were attacking down the far side, Pelova had the ball and reached the endline. When she crossed the ball to Lineth Beerensteyn, who reached near the far post, she missed scoring the goal by whiffing on the ball. But there was enough of a touch to move the ball across the face of goal, where the French defender Selma Bacha didn’t react in time and it deflected off her for the own goal.

In the second half, France was looking to get back into this match. They did so in the 61st minute, as they took control of the ball at midfield and went on an attacking run. Delphine Cascarino of the San Diego Wave made the run down the middle, then made the pass to Katono at the far side. As she got inside the area, Katono took the shot and beat the keeper short side.

Then Cascarino took over the match as she scored twice within three minutes. Her first goal was scored in the 64th minute. All she did was take down the Dutch, all by herself. She got the ball in midfield and made a fantastic run with a bit of a haphazard look, cutting a few times in front of the defenders, but when she got toward the area, she unleashed a fantastic ball and scored inside the far post.

Her second goal was in the 67th minute. Sandy Baltimore looped a ball in front of Katoto, and got her to turn around to take a shot, but she nailed both posts from the far to the near and out. But a long rebound went toward the top of the area, that’s when Cascarino came in as the trailer, and she smashed it hard past the defenders in a loose formation to make it four goals to two.

Sakina Karchaoui converted a penalty in second half stoppage time to complete the victory, and the French have swept the group with three straight victories to take the top spot in Group D. England finished in second, taking down the Welsh. It was all over as Les Blues are now getting ready for their quarterfinal match-up with Germany on Friday, July 18th. It should be an explosive game.