Still looking good

The day after their draw against Spain (2-2), the Blues dominated Costa Rica (3-2) on Tuesday, August 27, in a warm-up match for the 2024 World Cup. Another good result in view of the World Cup.

The French Futsal Team continues its journey towards the World Cup that awaits it starting on September 16 in Uzbekistan. For its third preparation match in nine days, it beat (3-2) Costa Rica (31st in the FIFA rankings) on Tuesday evening on the Spanish court of Las Rozas, near Madrid. The day before, it had held on (2-2) to Spain (3rd FIFA) in a full match.

This difficult but logical victory allows the Blues to improve their confidence and preserve an invincibility now sixteen matches long since June 2023. Abdessamad Mohammed, for his part, consolidated his status as the best French scorer in history by scoring twice.

Raphaël Reynaud and his men will now return to the CNF Clairefontaine, where they are expected early Wednesday afternoon, for the rest of their preparation. On Friday, they will join Orléans to play a new friendly match against Argentina (5th FIFA), scheduled for Saturday at the CO’Met Arena (4:00 p.m.).

THE MATCH

When Costa Rican captain Victor Fonseca deceived Thibaut Garros a few seconds after the kick-off of this match (0-1, 1st), there was a fear that the French legs were feeling the fatigue of the intense match played twenty-four minutes earlier against Spain. But the Blues, not at all destabilized by this start, quickly provided a reassuring response by equalizing through Nicolas Menendez (1-1, 4th) and taking the lead through the inevitable Abdessamad Mohammed (2-1, 8th). Overall masters of the first period against an opponent who was not very dangerous, they had several opportunities to increase their lead before the break, notably on a shot from Amin Benslama on the bar (13th) and tries from Abdessamad Mohammed (16th) and Souheil Mouhoudine (17th) saved by the goalkeeper.

Costa Rica looked more threatening after the break with a double attempt by Jérémy Gomez Camacho pushed back by the post then by Francis Lokoka with a good save (23rd). In more difficulty, the Tricolores thought they had made the difference thanks to a double by Abdessamad Mohammed (3-1, 28th) but the Ticos got back on track immediately through Daniel Gomez Aguero (3-2, 29th). Francis Lokoka prevented them from equalizing by saving a shot from Emmanuel Gamboa Valencian (32nd) then Mohammed had the last chance of the game but hit the post (38th).

78

goals with the Blues for Abdessamad Mohammed in 104 selections (record).

(Photo FFF).

THE GOALS

– 0-1, Victor Fonseca (1st) : Costa Rica opened the scoring after fourteen seconds of play with a low shot from Chavarria which was deflected by captain Victor Fonseca with a clever backheel.

– 1-1, Nicolas Menendez (4th) : found on the left, Nelson Lutin centers towards Nicolas Menendez at the edge of the area. The cross and low recovery from the left of the tricolor pivot finds the corner of the cage.

– 2-1, Abdessamad Mohammed (8e) : Ayoub Saadaoui serves deep on the left to Souheil Mouhoudine, who passes to Abdessamad Mohammed in the axis. The instant powerful strike from the left of the French striker flies into the top corner.

– 3-1, Abdessamad Mohammed (28e) : On a Costa Rican attack on the right side, Abdessamad Mohammed intercepts the ball in his own half and goes off alone to beat the opposing goalkeeper with the flat of his left foot, full frame.

– 3-2, Daniel Gomez Aguero (29e) : Francis Lokoka is saved by his crossbar on a powerful right-footed shot from Victor Fonseca. But the French goalkeeper, masked by one of his defenders, bows to the low shot that follows from Daniel Gomez Aguero.

6

Nicolas Menendez scored his sixth international goal in 22 caps.

STATISTICS

► 257 matches played by France in its history (112 wins, 39 draws, 106 losses).
► 41e match led by coach Raphaël Reynaud (29 wins, 7 draws, 5 losses).
► 16e undefeated game for the Tricolores, a record current series in their history (11 wins, 5 draws)
► 4e confrontation between Costa Rica and the French team (2 wins, 2 draws, 10 bp, 8 bc)
► 77e et 78e goals in 104 caps for Abdessamad Mohammed, top scorer in the history of the Blues.

THE SELECTOR’S REACTION

Raphael Reynaud : « The first thing we will remember from this match is the score. Even if we are in preparation, it is always important to win. This keeps the positive dynamic, we prepare better when we win matches. We will also remember that we stayed true to what we wanted to do. We came up against a Costa Rican team that was a little fresher and that gave us a hard time. It was a good Futsal match. We gave a lot yesterday. (against Spain), which led us to make mistakes that we don’t usually make. Added to the preparation, it’s automatically more difficult. I wanted to arrive at our match against Argentina and meet the French public undefeated and to offer a show that would be attractive. And so I invite all sports and Futsal fans to join me on August 31 in Orléans.”

(Photo FFF).