Great start for the French ladies!
Men beaten by La Roja… Setback?
Ladies European Championship : great start for France.
On Sunday, during a difficult game, the French feminine team got out from the German trap and made the first step towards the finale of the first Ladies European Championship organized by the FIP.
Yet, the encounter began in difficulty for the tricolors who conceded 3 goals in first period. The German horses were clearly faster than the French’s. It became important to change the strategy, tie up the defense to not let the German slip out with their “rockets”. Wind changed and the French were now in control. Lead by the famous Caroline Anier, the French were mostly in their opponent side of the field, pushing them to the commit faults, giving them four penalties, three transformed by Caroline Anier. Added to this a goal by Lea Siboni as the German only scored on goal over the three periods, the game was done: 5 ½ to 4. Rendez-vous today at 3:30pm against Italy.
An Italian team overcame by England in the other encounter of the day (7 to 3) and quite easy for the French.
A beautiful first day in this week of Championship, spared by the announced rain: there were a lot of spectators on the sides of the fields.
World Championship play-off
The French, beaten by La Roja…Setback?
The men of the French team haven’t begun the play-off of the World Championship organized by the FIP in the best way possible. Defeated by one goal by Spain, the tricolors now can’t afford any more mistake if they want to go to Australia.
An unfortunate beginning of encounter during which Spain scored twice on a counter-attack, and it might be during the first period that France lost its game. On the field, the team lead by Pierre Henri Ngoumou seemed to occupy the other camp: “Spain is a great team, said the French player. We know how they play, we met them a few times, for example in England and we came out with a tie. These are four great players, I don’t think we did something wrong. We dominated a lot but we had trouble to finish the action. We were a bit unfortunate and at this level, it all comes to a few things…” Truthfully, losing 5 to 4, it’s nothing but at the end, it’s is a lost and their “joker”, their one defeat margin is now lost. “Indeed, but nothing is over yet. We were not thinking in terms of “joker”, the main goal is to win all the time. Now, we have to beat Germany who played well against England. There is no easy team, we are not favourite or outsider, but we may have some pressure regarding that we are playing at home.”
Will Lucas, this old hand
Handicap 7 at the top of his career, Great-Britain Will Lucas is one of the best play of his generation. With an “old style”, the player was the one to look at during the encounter England-Germany on Monday afternoon at the Polo Club de Chantilly. During an indecisive game until the third period, he made the difference by provoking faults and crossing the field like a racing driver to score the breaking goal for England. And the young German were a bit lost after that, conceding the game 7 to 4 ½.
Tomorrow will see the return of the female riders on the pitch for the second matches of the European Women’s Championship. France will face Italy in an attempt to clinch a spot for Sunday’s final. Germany will have a heavy task tomorrow against England to be able to still hope to make the finals.
There will then be another three beautiful days of championship (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) before the two great Sunday finals. A festive day where the public is expected and with a surprise: a small equestrian show directed by Mario Lurashi, the stunt rider for films.