Missed return for the Blues. In search of redemption, after its failure at the Euro, the France team, reduced to ten, was hooked this Wednesday by Bosnia (1-1) in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. Didier Deschamps nevertheless retain the head of their group before their trip to Ukraine on Saturday.
A reaction was expected after the disillusionment experienced two months earlier. But it never really took place on the lawn of Strasbourg. In Alsace, the reigning world champions, still recovering, appeared sluggish and lacking in imagination to upset a Bosnian team, which they had hardly beaten last March (0-1).
But if they had managed to get by in Sarajevo, this time they did not manage to tell the difference. In line with their missed European Championship, the Habs, much too messy, struggled to be dangerous and the attacking trio composed of Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, unable to find each other, still disappointed. And it took a bit of success on a corner to find the net and allow Griezmann to equalize five minutes from the break (40e).
But the attack is not the only one to have failed. As during the elimination against Switzerland at the Euro, the defense was guilty of certain largesse and approximations paid at a high price on the opening of the score of Edin Dzeko following a bad pass in the axis by Thomas Lemar (36e). It was then abandoned by Jules Koundé, excluded for a gross fault at the start of the second half.
Outnumbered for nearly 40 minutes, Hugo Lloris’ teammates, already uninspired at 11 against 11, were unable to force the decision. Didier Deschamps however made several changes in the offensive sector, with the entry into play of Kingsley Coman, Anthony Martial and Moussa Diaby, to snatch the victory. But without success. “Obviously, it’s more complicated at 10 even if we reorganized ourselves and made sure to be more compact. We had a few situations but this is not the result we were looking for, “regretted the French coach.
With this result, his players, who are still four points ahead of Ukraine, missed the opportunity to take the lead in Group D and get closer to Qatar with the Ukrainians’ draw in Kazakhstan a few hours earlier (2-2). They will have the opportunity to do so on Saturday in Kiev. On condition of showing another face.