For this first day in Croatia, at the Istria Cup, the four matches of the day revealed a blow for the Blue and surprises. Slovakia and Northern Ireland were back-to-back (0-0), when France had a real disillusion with Bosnia-Herzegovina, which won 0-2. Like Slovenia and Croatia respectively on Chinese Taipei and Hungary B. Summary.

Results of the matches of March 1st
AT
Slovakia vs Northern Ireland 0-0
B
France B vs Bosnia and Herzegovina 0-2
AT
Chinese Taipei vs Slovenia 1-5
B
Hungary vs Croatia 0-3

Slovakia vs Northern Ireland 0-0

For this first match of the competition, Northern Ireland missed it against Slovakia. Faced with a better ranked team at FIFA rank (41st for Slovakia), Northern Ireland (59th) was apprehensive in this match. But the team will stand up to its opponent. Slovakia will go to the task but the only opportunity will remain on penalty. A missed opportunity for the Slovaks, the shot will be saved by Burns.

Both teams will stay there for their first opposition.
France B vs Bosnia and Herzegovina 0-2: A case bent after the hour
The hour of truth was rather a disillusionment for the France B team, who faced a team tough Bosnia-Herzegovina for his entry into the running. After playing two friendlies in preparation for this tournament against the university team of France, which remained a formality with a landslide victory 5-0. The task proved more difficult against the Belgian national team who won 2 goals to 1 over a double of Jana Coryn (LOSC player). A bit of a hard blow for a France B team, whose players do not necessarily have a lot of playing time in their respective clubs and who do not have the opportunity to play together or against each other . The Istria Cup would prove to be a decisive tournament for some players to get out of the game to pretend to go to A. The Blue will have a hard time against carrer Bosnians, who will not have more luck, however, in first half. But the scenario goes their smile in the second half, just after the hour of play, when Kulis Lidija opens the scoring for his team 0-1. France could claim to return to the score. But Nikolic will hit the nail in the 83rd for Bosnia and Herzegovina. A bitter defeat for the Blue, who claimed a better introduction. The players of Jean-François Niemezcki will have to take back the hair of the beast for their next encounter which promises equally perilous against Croatia, victorious of Hungary B.

Summary and reaction of the coach

Match at noon, on a waterlogged ground, not facilitating the practice of football, we have made the bitter acknowledgment of a certain lack of efficiency. In a match, where we had to have more than 70% possession of the ball, we conceded 2 goals, perfectly avoidable, in the second half. The first, in the 55th minute, following some mistakes of inattention, even requirement, on a match sequence, and the second 5 minutes from the end, on a cons, following an individual error. Meanwhile, after a first period, where we showed a certain consistency in the game in possession, we multiplied the phases of approaches, without being able to convert them into real chances of goal, which made say to one of our players: "it is the girls in what we propose, but our domination is sterile". In fact, although creating a lot of lag or phases of imbalance, we created ourselves 4 to 5 net occasions, not concretized, but conceding none at the same time. A first half therefore quite positive overall. The second, although well underway, would stigmatize our shortcomings, after this stupidly granted goal. This fact of play, we were thwarted, under a pressure that we put ourselves in front of team which suddenly, fell back to 10 in his half field. In this attack, defense, despite initiatives, envy and an excellent state of mind, we lacked clairvoyance, and technical finesse and tactics, to really put in trouble this team, despite the dozen corners that we we are created. Even the bad luck at 1 - 0 pointed the tip of his nose, as an opportunistic strike from Ouley Sarr hit the post ... The disappointed girls must be aware, as we do, of the shortcomings in efficiency, this young group must learn from these shortcomings and his mistakes. These "trainer" matches are there for that. But the base is good and the seeds of talent, well present, because a lot of positive things, and some individualities emerged from this game. And then it's also a good opportunity, to show, against the country "host" in 2 days, that we are able to react, to correct the mistakes, and why not regain ambition. In any case, the staff wants to believe and from this afternoon, we will get back to work.

The worksheet: Romane Munich Marion Romanelli (55th Lorgeré Charlotte), Charlotte St Sans Levacher, Charlotte Bilbaut, Marine Dafeur (65th Laura Bourgouin) Ines Jaurena (75th Lea Le Garrec) Aminata Diallo (75th Marion Torrent) Lindsay Thomas, Clarisse Bihan, Valerie Gauvain (55th Ouley Sarr) Morronni Pearl.

Goal :

63 'Kulis Lidija for Bosnia and Herzegovina
86 'Nikolic for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Chinese Taipei vs Slovenia 1-5
In the two matches that followed, Slovenia gave a real demonstration of Football in Chinese Taipei, with a heavy score of 5 goals to 1. A lesson that proves above all the level of the one on the other team. World 39th, Chinese Taipei defends itself well in Women's Football when the men's team is in 157th place. While both Slovenian teams are exactly ranked at the FIFA rank, 57th. A statistic that has not yet paid for the Asian team, who got himself inside the first minutes of the game. But Taipei reacts and reduces the mark in the first period. The team hopes to return to the score in the second act, but is greatly exceeded by his opponent who set foot on the ball and the pace of the game to register three more goals in the 68th, 73rd and 80th. Slovenia seal his victory.

The goals

12 'Tibaut Tjasa (Slovenia) 0-1
21 'Tibaut Tjasa (Slovenia) 0-2
35 'Chen from on a fast counter attack (Chinese Taipei) 1-2
68 'Mateja Zver on penalty kick (Slovenia) 1-3
73 'Zver Mateja (Slovenia) 1-4
80 'Prasnikar (Slovenia) 1-5
Hungary vs Croatia 0-3

Last encounter of this day, with a clear and beautiful victory of Croatia on Hungary, who had no say on this meeting. Facing a team lacking momentum, which is rather downhill in the FIFA rankings for Hungary, Croatia who stagnated on his side in 53rd place had everything to prove in this meeting and we can say that the team Croatian has come out of the game in an excellent way over Hungary at the start of the tournament. It will be necessary to wait until the 29th minute to count the first goal of Croatia on a free-kick well shot by the captain who totally surprises the Hungarians and who will then leave the ball to the Croatians who will aggravate the score in the second half, to the 57th and 79th. The next opponent of Croatia Blue can therefore be confident before receiving the team of France.

The goals

29 'Iva Landeka on a free kick (Croatia) 0-1
57 'Matijevic (Croatia) 0-2
79 'Horvat (Croatia) 0-3

Match schedule of the 2nd day - 03.03.2017
AT
Slovenia / Slovakia 12h
B
Northern Ireland / Chinese Taipei 12h
AT
Croatia / France B 15h
B
Bosnia and Herzegovina / Hungary 15h

Photo: Soccer Network LLC