Panama vs France: Nothing left but pride to play for debutants
Panama will be merely playing for pride when they face France on matchday three of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Las Canaleras have failed to score so far in their debut World Cup tournament, and following back to back defeats to Brazil and Jamaica, have been already eliminated. Meanwhile, France will be eager to secure a round of 16 berth after a rocky start to their tournament.
A 4-0 drubbing was Panama’s welcome to the World Cup stage when they faced Brazil, and had the South American powerhouse been even more clinical, they certainly could have scored more in a very lopsided tie. The debutants did put on a much better showing against Jamaica, but ended up losing that tie 1-0 following a goalless first half. As such, Ignacio Quintana’s team have yet not only to score a goal, but are now seeking what will be an unlikely first point against a France side who have yet to really set the pitch alight, but nonetheless are the heavy favorites to win this upcoming tie.
To complicate matters, Panama have lost their last four games across all competitions, while France have lost just one of their last ten ties. Les Bleues faced plenty of off the pitch drama prior to this competition, with players openly expressing their dissatisfaction with then-head coach Corrine Diacre prior to her eventual dismissal. France are now being led by Herve Renard, who has enjoyed plenty of success with several men’s sides, including winning two AFCON titles with two different nations (Zambia, 2012; Ivory Coast, 2015), and leading Saudi Arabia to a shock 2-1 win over eventual World Cup winners Argentina at last year’s World Cup.
Renard’s squad started off proceedings on the wrong foot, as they were held to a shock scoreless stalemate against Jamaica. However, France successfully overcame Brazil in a tough tactical battle, with towering defender Wendie Renard used her height to her advantage to nod home France’s second to secure a vital 2-1 victory. That win means Renard is the first ever manager to win a game at both the men’s and women’s World Cups, and now France, who sit on top of their quartet, simply need to get the job done to secure their spot in the next rounds.
France’s next opponent in the round of 16 will depend on how they finish in the table. At the moment, Les Bleues lead the way by one point, with Brazil and Jamaica set to battle it out for the other remaining knockout spot. If France, as expected, beat Panama, it won’t matter whether Brazil or Jamaica win their showdown, and that would see France facing possibly Germany, Morocco, or Colombia in the round of 16. Certainly, this is something Renard will have in mind and it’s safe to say that he probably will hope to avoid taking on Germany at this early stage. But for now, France will be firmly focused on ensuring that they do earn a spot in the round of 16, while Panama, who have been already eliminated, will at least hope to grab a goal – or perhaps even more.
