Mexico v. France

The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website | home

Mexico v. France

Five Star France Maul Mexico

by Jeremy Ruane

France stormed a first-placed finish in Group F at the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals on 17 June with a 5-0 mauling of Mexico at Ottawa's Lansdowne Stadium, which confirmed a round of sixteen clash against Korea Republic for them in Montreal in four days' time.

The French were irresistible right from the kick-off, scoring the second-fastest goal in FIFA Women's World Cup Finals history just 34 seconds into the contest. Amandine Henry released Elodie Thomis down the right, from where she crossed to the near post.

Mexican goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago and defender Alina Garciamendez got in each other's way as each attempted to deal with the danger, the ball spinning up invitingly for Marie Laure Delie to head home from point-blank range.

Mexico were still reeling from that blow when France doubled their lead in the ninth minute. This time, a Camille Abily corner was turned into her own net by the oldest player in the Mexican squad, Jennifer Ruiz, as the imposing figure of French captain Wendy Renard loomed large on her shoulder.

2-0 became 3-0 in the thirteenth minute, thus killing the game as a contest. This was a gorgeous goal, a superb move started and finished by Eugenie Le Sommer. She ignited a one-touch move in which Abily, Delie and Thomis all featured, before the last-mentioned's cross to the near post was deftly steered home on the volley by Le Sommer, who had timed her run to perfection.

The Mexicans could easily have conceded more goals in the next few minutes, as France carved them apart at will. Henry was narrowly astray with a twenty-yarder, while Le Sommer sent one sizzling past the upright just before playing a ball through for Thomis, who was deceived by the bounce as she looked to score France's fourth goal in the 22nd minute,

Mexican ventures into France's half of the field were as rare as hen's teeth to this point in time, but they mounted a raid in the 26th minute to earn a corner. Such was Sarah Bouhaddi's command of her penalty area, however, Charlyn Corral and company didn't even get a sniff of Nayeli Rangel's delivery.

Normal service - France dominating proceedings - swiftly resumed, with Santiago right behind Delie's twenty yard drive, before nearly getting caught in possession by Le Sommer as she dithered inside her penalty area.

Nine minutes before half-time, France made it 4-0. Santiago was put off by the imposing presence of Renard as she looked to head home Amel Majri's free-kick, and could only parry the ball straight to Delie. Her shot ricocheted in off Le Sommer, who was credited with the 100th goal of these FIFA Women's World Cup Finals.

Majri rattled the side-netting before the interval, while Santiago kept out Le Sommer's shot after she had ghosted in behind the defence to latch onto

Thomis' measured ball over the Mexican defence in the shadows of the half-time whistle.

Four goals to the good, France eased off a tad in the second spell, although still kept Mexico at arm's length. Delie should have done better than to fire the ball past the post three minutes into the second spell, given she had been gifted possession by Santiago, whose clearance had cannoned off Le Sommer straight to the striker.

A twenty-five yarder from Veronica Perez flew narrowly past Bouhaddi's right-hand post ten minutes into the half and roused the French into life once more, Abily lobbing over from ten yards sixty seconds later after Majri and Henry had combined to good effect.

Henry then sent Thomis scurrying down the right in the 65th minute, the attacking midfielder standing up Valeria Miranda before storming past her and unleashing a cross-shot which skimmed the bar.

Two minutes later, Santiago was at full stretch to keep out a Gaetane Thiney piledriver, the substitute's first contribution to the match after replacing Le Sommer, thus denying the striker the chance of a hat-trick.

Thiney then teamed up with fellow substitute Elise Bussaglia and Renard six minutes later to create more mayhem in Mexico's defence. But for a timely tackle by Kenti Robles, Majri would surely have struck a fifth goal for the host nation of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Finals.

The fifth goal was on its way, however, and it was well worth the wait. A richly deserved goal for Henry, FIFA's Player of the Match, and rightly so - she had a stormer, culminating in this unstoppable thirty yard screamer which careered into the top left-hand postage stamp of Santiago's goal, the 'keeper diving in vain in an effort to keep out a shot which only a select few custodians would have got anywhere near. It really was a belter!

And so nearly a sixth soon after, Bouhhadi's raking clearance being flicked on by Delie to send Majri haring through. While Miranda hesitated, Santiago didn't, keeping the carnage to five goals by saving at the on-rushing striker's feet.

Mexico head home after this hiding, administered by a team on the comeback trail after a shock loss at Columbia's hands in Moncton. On this showing, France will go a long way in this tournament, particularly with such talents as Louisa Necib and Claire Lavogez still to call upon, and this despite potential clashes against both Germany and Team USA looming later on in their half of the draw.

Mexico: Santiago; Robles, Garciamendez, Espinoza, Miranda (booked, 62); Rangel (Murillo, 83), Ruiz, Mayor, Ocampo; Corral (Cuellar, 46), Perez (booked, 87)

France: Bouhaddi; Houara, Georges, Renard, Boulleau (Delannoy, 78); Thomis, Henry, Abily (Bussaglia, 70), Majri; Delie, Le Sommer (Thiney, 63)

Referee: Sachiko Yamagishi (Japan)

2015 Draw