For its first Futsal World Cup in its history, the France team faces Argentina this Thursday with a place in the final at stake. A complicated semi-final for the Blues against one of the best nations.
17:08 – Tempers heat up
After a ball goes out of touch, the debates are tense between the players on the floor.
17:06 – Arrieta doesn’t shake!
After less than three minutes of play, the Argentinians opened the scoring thanks to Arrieta.
17:05 – Penalty for Argentina
Brandi played it well. Lokoka misses his exit and mows down the Argentinian. Ryan Shepheard does not hesitate and whistles a penalty.
17:03 – First strike
On the left side, Claudino fixes Guirio and gets on his right foot before shooting but it is not on target.
17:02 – Third ball
Clearly, the Argentinians are not happy with the balloons which they do not consider to be inflated enough.
17:01 – The High Blues
All-terrain pressing from French players who want to cut passing lines and limit spaces on the pitch.
17:00 – Tough duels
We didn’t have to wait long to see aggression in this meeting. After a French recovery, Ouassini Guirio wants to show his speed but the ball is well tackled.
16:59 – Commitment for the Blues
After the toss, the start of this semi-final will be given by the French team.
16:55 – The refereeing body
For this second semi-final of the Futsal World Cup, Ryan Shepheard will be the referee. He will be assisted by Fahad Alhosani and Jorge Flores while Anatoliy Rubakov will be the fourth referee.
16:54 – Place à la Marseillaise
After the Argentinian anthem, the Marseillaise resonates in the Humo Arena in Tashkent.
16:51 – Entrance of the players
The French and Argentinian players enter the floor of the Humo Arena. Kick-off will be given after the anthems.
16:50 – The Argentine starting five
Sarmiento (g), Claudinio, Corso, Brandi and Taborda (cap) will start France – Argentina on the floor.
16:45 – Three confrontations
On August 31, the Blues met to prepare for the World Cup where they faced Argentina in Orléans. Beaten 5-3 during the fourth preparation match, the Blues experienced their first defeat in sixteen matches and fourteen months. “We will have to be able to do more, not only to compete but the objective being to go to the final we will have to do more than in Orléans. We have prepared. The World Cup also helped us to progress. We are going to do it with a lot of humility but also a lot of conviction, the conviction that we can put this Argentina team in difficulty,” underlined Raphaël Reynaud in reference to this latest defeat. In history, the two nations have faced each other three times: in August 2024 after two friendly matches in May and June 2019 (4-1 defeat then 4-4 draw).
16:40 – Reynaud: “The biggest challenge in the history of the French team”
At a press conference, Raphaël Reynaud set the scene for this meeting which promises to be historic for the Blues: “The team knows each other, the game project is identified, we know what we have to do and it is not There was no need to add the historical side to all that. I think it’s the biggest challenge in the history of the French team. Today, we’re not in a preparation match. not in a friendly match. We’re in a World Cup semi-final and against one of the greatest teams that exist. So that’s the biggest challenge. We’ll see what happens to us, but in any case, we’ll see what happens to us. will do everything possible.”
16:35 – The starting five
To eliminate Argentina and qualify for the final, the Blues will start at kickoff with Francis Lokoka, Souheil Mouhoudine, Ouassini Guirio, Ayoud Saadaoui and Abdessamad Mohammed.
4:30 p.m. – How to follow France – Argentina in streaming?
If you want to watch the semi-final of the Futsal World Cup between the Blues and the Argentinians on your computer, smartphone or tablet, you must go to the page dedicated to live streaming from the L’Équipe channel.
16:25 – Update on staffing
Here are the two teams who will face each other this Thursday afternoon:
- France: Thibaut Garros and Francis Lokoka (goalkeepers); Sid Belhaj, Souheil Mouhoudine, Kévin Ramirez, Ayoub Saadaoui and Mamadou Touré (defenders); Abdessamad Mohammed, Nicolas Ménendez and Arthur Tchapchet (pivots); Steve Bendali, Ouassini Guirio, Nelson Lutin and Mamadou Touré (wingers).
- Argentina: Nicolás Sarmiento and Nicolás Kravetzky (goalkeepers); Agustín Plaza, Sebastián Corso, Pablo Taborda (defenders); Lucas Tripodi, Ángel Claudino, Lucas Bolo, Luciano Gauna, Kiki Vaporaki and Kevin Arrieta (wingers); Matías Rosa, Cristián Borruto and Alan Brandi (pivots).
4:20 p.m. – On which channel to watch France – Argentina?
Holder of TV rights for the Futsal World Cup, the L’Équipe channel will broadcast the poster of the last four of the French against Argentina.
16:15 – Argentina favorite
World champion in 2016 and vice-world champion in 2021, Argentina is favorite to meet Brazil in the final. At a press conference, coach Raphaël Reynaud praised the qualities of the South Americans: “It is truly a South American and even “Argentinian” team par excellence, with first of all incredible defensive aggressiveness, barely any defensive values. imaginable. It’s Venezuela but with much more technical qualities and a rather impressive “killer” side. In two World Cups, they are world champion and vice-world champion. grinta”.
16:10 – Paraguay and Kazakhstan defeated
To reach the last four, the Blues and the Argentinians respectively eliminated Paraguay (2-1) and Kazakhstan (6-1).