a card for the Blues, without completely convincing

Serious and authoritarian in the first period, then sluggish after returning from the locker room, the Blues accelerated at the end of the match to finally sign a big success against Israel (4-1), this Thursday, in the League of Nations. The entrants scored points, like Mattéo Guendouzi.

A new life has officially begun for the Blues. Now orphaned by one of the greatest players in its history, the French team attacked the post-Antoine Griezmann team with a big success against Israel (4-1), this Thursday, during a meeting relocated to Budapest due to the war in the Middle East. A second success in a row, after that brought back from Lyon against Belgium (2-0), which allows Didier Deschamps’ men to consolidate their second place in their Nations League group. Without Kylian Mbappé, who remained in Madrid, here they are, as a bonus, back one step behind Italy, held at the same time by Belgium (2-2).

We only had to wait seven minutes to see the Blues take the lead in the tiny Bozsik Aréna in the Hungarian capital, in the rain and in front of 150 courageous French supporters. A poorly managed rebound and an unfortunate trip from goalkeeper Omri Glazer offered the opening score to the vice-world champions on a plate, and the second goal for the selection from Eduardo Camavinga, first surprised to see the ball finish its course at the back of the net on his timid left shot. Little Thumb of League A of this fourth edition of the League of Nations, and defeated in its first two matches (3-1 against Belgium, 2-1 against Italy), Israel could then have collapsed, in the lineage of a start to the match spent chasing the leather in vain.

Kolo Muani and Olise disappointing, Guendouzi inspired

But the selection of Ran Ben Shimon, ranked 79th in the Fifa rankings, in turn benefited from a boost to get back on track. Completely surprised by a nice opening from Oscar Gloukh, William Saliba let the restless Omri Gandelman slip behind his back, who was responsible for adjusting Mike Maignan with an unstoppable header (24th). At 1-1, France didn’t really have time to doubt, Christopher Nkunku taking care of everything with a nice solo number for his very first goal for the selection. Found with his back to goal by Camavinga, the Chelsea midfielder celebrated his return to the Blues, and concretized the domination of his team, with a small festival in the penalty area concluded in the best possible way (28th).

Arranged in a 4-2-3-1 pattern, the Blues somewhat revised their plans at the break by leaving the axis to Nkunku, repositioned in support of a far too discreet Randal Kolo Muani, and by shifting to a on the side of Michael Olise, not really comfortable in the first period in number 10. Camavinga, for his part, remained on the same line upon returning from the locker room: well-felt high recoveries, lots of projections and the desire to quickly feed his attackers. Uninspired in the game and in terms of creation in recent months, like their Euro and the humiliating setback conceded in September against Italy (3-1) at the Parc des Princes, the captain’s Blues Aurélien Tchouaméni managed some good sequences in Hungary, without being worried defensively beyond Gandelman’s goal.

But there was still too much slag in the construction, not enough madness to wrap up the game, and a serious waste in the last gesture, like a Kolo Muani not sharp enough and an Olise far too draft. Fortunately, the various entrants (Bradley Barcola, Youssouf Fofana, Mattéo Guendouzi) brought welcome energy and scored a lot of points in the last twenty minutes. In good form with Lazio Rome since the start of the season, ex-Marseillais Mattéo Guendouzi appeared as added time approached to cut a cross from Théo Hernandez and slam the goal to 3-1 (87th). Then he became a decisive passer two minutes later for Bradley Barcola, a close scorer (89th). Enough to boost the confidence of these Blues a little more, expected on Monday in Brussels to challenge the Red Devils (8:45 p.m.).