France Stunned Brazil

France has gone top of Group F after Wendie Renard’s late header earned a stunned  Brazil at FIFA women’s World Cup 2023, game on Saturday.

• France moves to top of Group F with a thrilling win
• Wendie Renard the match-winner for Les Bleues
• Eugenie Le Sommer earlier set a new national record

France 2-1 Brazil | Group F

Goalscorers: Le Sommer (17′), Debinha (58′), Renard (83′) Wendie Renard popped up with a late winner as France came out on top in an enthralling Brisbane battle with Brazil.

The veteran defender’s trademark header sent Les Bleus top of Group F and settled a classic FIFA Women’s World Cup encounter in which Eugenie Le Sommer’s first-half opener had earlier been canceled out by a coolly dispatched Debinha effort.

With Brazil brilliant in their opening-match win over Panama, and France lacklustre in a goalless draw with Jamaica, the South Americans had been widely expected to take the game to their European opponents. Instead, it was the French – full of energy and invention – who were on the front foot from an early stage.

Le Sommer was a constant danger to the Brazilian backline and had already forced Leticia into a brilliant save by the time she nodded France in front from a near-identical position. Kadidiatou Diani won the first header, towering above Tamires to knock Sakina Karchaoui’s deep, floated cross back into the middle, and Le Sommer – showing her well-honed striker’s instinct – ghosted into space to glance the ball home.

The goal was no more than France deserved but, while the first half belonged to Les Bleues, the second saw Brazil come roaring back. The only thing lacking in their play was a composed final touch, and Debinha provided that in 58 minutes, taking control of a deflected Kerolin shot, assessing the angles, and slotting home her first-ever Women’s World Cup goal.

But just as Brazil thought they had claimed a hard-earned draw, the importance of set pieces was once again reinforced in the game’s decisive moment. Renard – one of the game’s greatest-ever in such situations – strode forward for a corner, snuck in at the back post, and directed a floated Selma Bacha corner down and into the far corner of the net.

It was a goal that broke Brazilian hearts and took France to the summit of Group F, one point clear of their beaten opponents.

By scoring her sixth FIFA Women’s World Cup goal, Le Sommer became France’s sole all-time top-scorer in the competition, moving one clear of Marie-Laure Delie. At 34 years and 72 days old, she is also the oldest player to find the net for France at this global finals.

Some 52 percent of players predicted Pia Sundhage’s side would get the job done in Brisbane in our Hyundai Match Predictor, but France proved too much for their South American counterparts.

Eugenie Le Sommer of France declared VISA Player of the match