France survive calamitous own goal and given VAR redemption in win over Norway

After this, there is no need to ask what Wendie Renard thinks of video assistant referees. The towering centre-back, who won France their opening encounter against South Korea, had just allowed ­Norway into this game with an own goal that would best be described as a howler. 

Eighteen minutes of embarrassment later, and the technical official came to her aid, gifting France a penalty that many a normal sighted referee would have regarded as ­fortuitous. As Eugenie Le Sommer smacked the ball into the net, ­Renard looked to the heavens and sighed. What we were witnessing in Nice was redemption via the video screen.

For France this was an altogether more robust challenge than the one offered by the Koreans. They might have returned from the 2017 Euros without a goal, but Norway were not going to be brushed aside. Against a side sharp in the tackle, strong in the air and well organised, France, after opening the tournament as if they could score with every attack, for much of the first half looked ordinary.

In front of a boisterous 34,872 crowd (including Didier Deschamps, the men’s national manager), Corinne Diacre had brought back star forward Valerie Gauvin. Kadidiatou Diani was pushed out to occupy the wing to replace Delphine Cascarino, who had shone in the first game. And what a job she did there. Diani was sharp and quick, continually swishing past the full-back Kristine Minde, ­although too often her crosses could not pick out a colleague.

Norway were adept themselves on the counter-attack. They might be lacking the services of Ada Hegerberg, the Lyon striker conducting a one-woman campaign against the Norwegian FA, but since few of the other players find her the most supportive colleague, her absence has been less felt in the dressing room than in the media room. 

Certainly the clever Caroline Graham Hansen, on her way to Barcelona next season, and the smart winger Guro Reiten, did not seem to miss her promptings. They caused problems every time Norway broke across the halfway line. Quick, imaginative and with a fine cross, Reiten disturbed the French backline on her own far more than the South Korea team did collectively.

Watching on, arms folded and a scowl spreading across her features, Diacre knew she had to change things. Whatever she said, within seconds of the second half, it worked; the lively Gauvin had stabbed home a cross from full-back Amel Majri. As the crowd thundered with relief, Diacre ­allowed herself a rare smile.

It was not an expression that lasted. Eight minutes of ascendancy later, Isabell Herlovsen collected a canny through pass in the French area and crossed. To her evident dismay, the normally serene Renard somehow managed a side-foot finish into her own net. No wonder she looked crestfallen: this was a shockingly poor misjudgment.

But when Marion Torrent went down under Ingrid Engen’s studs-up challenge, after consulting her screen, referee Bibiana Steinhaus gave a penalty. It was harsh on ­Norway, as Engen appeared to have only made contact after winning the ball.

“It should have been 1-1,” said Martin Sjogren, the Norway coach. He had a point. Diacre agreed Norway had provided a proposition for her team, which demonstrated how far they had to go in this World Cup.

“Favourites?” she said, quick to dismiss a home-based journalist’s enthusiasm. “We are still outsiders. We found some difficulties today.” 

Not that the crowd seemed over concerned about rough justice. They simply went home delighted to see France all but confirm ­progress into the next round.

Teams

France (4-2-3-1)

Bouhaddi (Lyon); Torrent (Montpellier), Renard (Lyon), Mbock Bathy (Lyon), Majri (Lyon); Henry (Lyon), Bussaglia (Dijon); Gauvin (Montpellier), Thiney (Paris FCF), Diani (PSG); Le Sommer (Lyon)

Subs: Cascarino (Lyon) for Gauvin 85; Bilbaut (Paris FCF) for Thiney 85

Subs not used: Durand (Guingamp); Perisset (PSG); Tounkara (Atletico Madrid); Karchaoui (Montpellier); Geyoro (PSG); Laurent (Guingamp); Asseyi (Bordeaux);; Payraud-Magnin (Arsenal); Clemaron (FC Fluery); Debever (Guingamp)

YC: Le Sommer

Norway (4-4-2)

Huelmseth (Stabaek); Wold (LSK Kvinner), Mjelde (Chelsea), Thorisdottir (Chelsea), Minde (Wolfsburg); Reiten (Kvinner), Engen (Kvinner), Risa (Goteborg), Saevik (Kolbotn); Graham Hansen (Wolfsen), Herlovsen (Kolbotn)

Subs: Utland (Rosengard) for Saevik 67; Hansen (Kvinner) for Wold 89;

Subs not used: Hovland (Sandviken), , Thorsnes (Kvinner), , Fiskerstrand (Kvinner), Asland (Kvinner), Eikeland (Sandviken), Maanum (Linkopings), Kvamme (Sandviken), Haavi (Kvinner), Nautnes (Ama-Bjomar), Bogstad (Ama-Bjomar)

YC: Engen

Ref: B Steinhaus (Ger)