Thierry Henry’s Les Bleus got their preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics off to a good start by dominating Paraguay (4-1) this Thursday.
TOPS
Mateta sees double
The man of the evening! Double scorer for the first preparation match of the French Olympic team against Paraguay, Jean-Philippe Mateta shone. The Crystal Palace player first brought the Blues back to equality, thanks to a clinical finish with his left foot after being well launched by Michael Olise. In the second half, it was he who converted the penalty awarded to the Blues. Decisive, he launched his road to the Olympics perfectly.
A bench that changes everything
After a very average first half, Thierry Henry chose to change half of his eleven as soon as he returned from the locker room. A choice that paid off. The introduction of Manu Koné, Rayan Cherki, Adrien Truffert and Arnaud Kalimuendo brought dynamism and technique to the game of Thierry Henry’s men. Like the fourth goal, made with a one-touch pass and first intention. Changes that allowed us to glimpse what this team could become in a few weeks.
FLOPS
A feverish defense
Sanctioned in the first minutes by a goal, following a mistake by Lukeba. The French defense never found its marks in this first preparation match before the Olympic Games. Clumsy in the recovery and struggling on the Paraguayans’ counterattacks, the Blues seemed feverish and lacking in confidence for a large part of the match. Facing a team as average as Paraguay, the defensive performance of the tricolors did not reassure anyone.
Lukeba guilty
In this struggling defense, Lukeba is the one who made the biggest mistake. From the third minute of play, the French defender, not attentive enough, takes his time in the restart and sees the ball stolen by the Paraguayan Salcedo. The latter goes to crucify Guillaume Restes and sows doubt in the French collective, which will take more than 40 minutes to get back into the score.
