France 2019:  France, USA clash in Paris Friday, host nation under pressure 

Harry Awurumibe, Live in France 

For the average French in the street across the host nstion, the second quarter final tie between France and United States of America (USA) is the final before the final of the 8th FIFA Women’s World cup final in France.

The match billed for the impressive Parc de Prince in Paris on Friday, June 28 will see one of the great teams in the on-going global football fiesta crashing out agonisingly. This is because anyone of the teams that will be eliminated on Friday has definitely not achieved their purpose of participating in this edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup final.

From the onset this tricky match up has been envisaged especially after the draws for France 2019 was made and teams put in their groups. Both countries knew before now that this date will surely come upon them.

And for this reason both countries have been trying to find the right mix to outsmart the other and this will be put to test on June 28 in Paris.

But methinks that France would have avoided this potential early elimination if they had played it easy in the group stage by finishing either second or third best loser than to top Group A with maximum 9pts only to get on the way of the rampaging Team USA loaded to the brim.

The 3-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winners and defending champions, USA has the most complete team in the competition to defeat  France. With veterans like Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd, Christen Press, Sydney Leroux and goals machine- Alex Morgan in Team USA, no team in France cam stand toe to toe with the Americans.

It is this intimidating credentials coupled with the experience of the Head Coach, Jill Ellis who had won both the Women’s World Cup and Olympics Gold medals with the present squad that have sent jitters down the spines of other teams including France.

However, Team USA will not have a smooth sail in the grudge match against France as the French themselves parade some of the best women’s football players at the moment. They also boast of an experienced Head Coach in Corrine Diacre.

The elegant but highly technical tactician has in her armoury enough weapons to take out the defending champions, USA in Paris on Friday in what will be the “Winner Takes All” game.

France will rely on their experienced goalkeeper, Sarah Bouhadi of UEFA Champions League winning club, Lyon and defenders/ teammates- Wendie Renard, Amel Majiri, Mbock Batty and Eve Presisset of PSG.

Others to battle USA are midfielders- Charlotte Bilbault, Elise Bussaglia and team captain Amandin Henry as well as forwards- Eugenie Le Sommer, Delphine Cascarino, Viviane Asseyi and Kadidiatou Diani.

The French whose best finish in the competition is a distant 4th position in Germany in 2011 will like to throw the kitchen sink at their more illustrious Americans in order to progress to the last four teams at least.

Indeed, it will be one match that will define how much women’s football has developed in 28 years of the FIFA Women’s World Cup final.

And there is no better time to pitch the world leaders against each other than now although the French are under an immense pressure to win on Friday in front of their fans.

In football everything is possible because football is like crackers biscuit that can break from any place if one takes a bite of it, so let the better team win.