French Women Trounce Koreans

France 5 : 0 North Korea

by Ger Harley, Hampden Park

France’s women secured their first win of the tournament in Glasgow but it took them a while to get started.

23 minutes saw the first real chance of the game as France had a corner on the right. The ball was floated over to the head of Wendie Renard at the back of the goal who headed the ball towards the far post. Mi Yun Jo and defender Hui Nam Kim combined to keep the ball out of the net. The game meandered on without anything special to take a note off.

The pitch could have been cut by 18 meters at either end as I am not sure the ball or players were ever troubling the grass in these areas. Inevitably, you were expecting the only way a goal would be scored would be from a dead-ball situation and so it proved. A French corner on the left was put out for a another on the right as they last seconds of the first half- ticked away. The ball was fired to the back post where Laura Georges was available to bullet the ball into the net. Her emotional display of celebration showed just how much it meant to her to score for her country. Or it could have been tears of frustration that they had gone 45 minutes and only managed one goal.

Half-time: France 1 Korea DPR 0

The second half started off a bit livelier with France wanting the kill the game off early. However, the Korean defence stood firm as the first ten minutes were played. During this time, Korea made two substitutions both for players who looked to be struggling. France were always the more likely to score and nearly did when the offside trap was sprung in the 66 minutes and Laure-Marie Delie drove in on the keeper. However, she appeared to have too much time and fired the ball wide of the post.

The second goal did come shortly after this chance when substitute Elodie Thomis fired the ball home. Laure-Marie Delie did get her name on the scoresheet when she took advantage of the defence being drawn to Elodie Thomis at the near post and fired in her pass from close range. France were really putting Korea under the cosh in the second half.

Just after Gaetane Thiney shot was tipped round the post by Mi Yun Jo, Wendie Renard powered in header from the resultant corner. Number five came in the 87 minute. Elodie Thomis chased the ball out on the right before sending in a great cross for Camille Catala to powerfully head the ball past Mi Yun Jo. Game over as they say.

France: Sarah Bouhaddi, Wendie Renard, Laura Georges, Sandrine Soubeyrand (Camille Abily 62 mins), Corine Franco, Sonia Bompastor, Eugenie le Sommer (Elodie Thomis 62 mins), Marie-Laure Delie (Camille Catala 80 mins), Louisa Necib, Elise Bussaglia, Gaetane Thiney
Unused Subs: Celine Deville, Laure Boulleau, Ophelie Meilleroux, Sabrina Viguier

Korea DPR: Yun Mi Jo, Nam Hui Kim, Myong Gum Kim, Song Mi Yun, Un Ju Choe (Song Hui Kim 50 mins), Ye Gyong Ri, Hwa Myong Jon (Hui Son O 71 mins), Hyon Hui Yun, Mi Gyong Choe, Un Hyang Kim (Chung Sim Kim 59 mins), Yong Sim Choe,
Unused Subs: Son Hwa Pong, Nam Sil Ri, Chang Ran O,

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