Iceland meets the almost overwhelming France in the last group game on Monday (07/18/2022). But the “Isis” are not without hope. Which mainly has to do with the audience ranks.
There is a section at Euro 2022 where Iceland is heading straight for the title: It’s about fan support. Around 2,000 Icelandic supporters made their way to England to loudly support their team. The long “Huh” sounded impressively through the arenas in the two preliminary round matches of “Isis” – and left its mark on the players.
“Of course that does something to us. It pushes us enormously. I feel like I have to do double duty for Iceland when I see that,” says Iceland striker Berglind Thorvaldsdottir.
Iceland would be in the quarterfinals with a win
Tonight (07/18/2022 / 9 p.m. CEST) the Scandinavians will urgently need any form of support. Then it’s off to Rotherham’s New York Stadium against France. From Iceland’s point of view, a veritable superior team. While the French are already confirmed as group winners after two victories (5-1 against Italy, 2-1 against Belgium), Iceland urgently need to score.
The team have drawn twice so far: 1-1 with Belgium and Italy. If they win against France, Iceland is in the quarter-finals. In the event of a draw, Iceland will only advance if the parallel game between Italy and Belgium also ends in a draw. “We are unbeaten so far,” says Thorvaldsdottir confidently. “It’s a good feeling to still be in control of everything. We’re ready,” says the 30-year-old.
France is under “Katoto shock”
“Isis” meet a French team that is still reeling from the shock of Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s serious injury. The brilliant striker tore her cruciate ligament in the Belgium game without opposition. Not only will the 27-year-old be out for the rest of the Euros, but her club Paris St Germain will also be out for months.
France’s Marie-Antoinette Katoto is out for a long time.
The French national team must now compensate for this loss. The goal rate alone speaks for the severity of the failure: Katoto scored 26 goals for France in 32 international matches. Ouleymata Sarr (FC Paris) will probably take over the vacated place. The 26-year-old came on for Katoto in the Belgium game.
Semi-final against Germany possible
First of all, this won’t have any major consequences for the French team – they’ve already secured their place in the quarter-finals. The team will meet the second-placed team in Group C, who are the defending champions, the Netherlands. But France is already looking further ahead. After all, you really want to win the title this year. If they survive the quarterfinals, the “Equipe Tricolore” could meet Germany in the semifinals if Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s team also wins their quarterfinals against Austria.