The first record didn’t take long to fall. The Marseillaise had just finished resonating in the Parc des Princes on Friday, September 6, when Bradley Barcola took advantage of a blunder by Giovanni Di Lorenzo to make history.
In 12 seconds, the Parisian firebrand scored the fastest goal in the history of the French team over the last 90 years. The record was previously held by Franck Sauzée, who scored in 34 seconds in 1992.
“France scored three goals in the first minute before 1933 for which we are unable to state their exact second due to lack of a reliable source,” points out statistical analyst Opta. “So Barcola the fastest scorer in the history of the Blues = maybe, but maybe not. We will not state it. Clarification.”
On the Italian side, it is also a record goal if we are to believe the transalpine press. Never had the Nazionale conceded such an early opening goal.
End of famine for Italy
This quick achievement by Bradley Barcola set the tone for a historic evening in statistical terms. But the rest was much less enjoyable for the blue eleven, who ended up sinking against an Italian team that was master of its system with three central defenders and two pistons.
Harassed and almost harmless, Didier Deschamps’ men fell 3-1 on goals from Dimarco (30′), Frattesi (51′) and Raspadori (74′). And the score could have been even higher without the crossbar or the saves from Mike Maignan.
This surprise result, given the face Italy displayed at the Euro, is a small event for both teams. The Nazionale had not beaten France for 16 years. As for its last success in France, it dates back 70 years. Despite these shortages, Italy’s record against France is more than positive: 19 victories, 10 draws and 11 defeats.
Dusted off statistics
After this setback against a historic rival, to which must be added the one against Spain at the Euro, the Blues have two defeats in a row.
The last time such a sequence of events occurred was in June 2015. Trémoulinas, Payet, Lacazette and Ntep had failed against Fellaini and Nainggolan’s Belgium (3-4) in a friendly match. Six days later, the French team returned from Albania with a defeat in their suitcases (1-0), again at the end of a match without any stakes.
To see the French team lose twice in official competition, you have to go back even further. In kyiv, during the third group match of Euro 2012, the team led by Laurent Blanc sank against Sweden with a Zlatan Ibrahimovic above the scrum (2-0). The adventure ended in the quarter-final against Spain, the future winner of the tournament.
Finally, to find a trace of two consecutive defeats after having opened the score, we must rewind… to the beginning of the Fifth Republic, reports Opta. It was in April-May 1962. The president had not yet been elected by universal suffrage.
A terrible tour in South America
How long will the Blues’ losing streak last? Their next opponent, Belgium, gave them a hard time in the last 16 of the last Euro and the face presented by the French team against Italy does not call for optimism.
A third consecutive defeat would revive the terrible memory of the French tour of South America in 2013. That year, in March, Cabaye, Sissoko, Benzema, Ribéry and their ilk lost at home to Spain in the qualifiers for the next World Cup.
In June, Didier Deschamps’ men -already- challenged Uruguay and Brazil in a friendly match. The first match, with Gourcuff starting, was abysmally sad (1-0), the second turned into a lesson against the future host country (3-0).
It was a different time. France had only won one star and the troubles in Knysna were not yet completely buried. Given the status that Didier Deschamps and his team now hold, another setback, against our Belgian neighbours no less, would be a blot on the landscape.
- RMC Sport
