July 27, 2018, France Elite team challenges England in the semi-finals of the 20th world championships in Quebec. One of the greatest thrillers that we suggest you to rewind. After eliminating the Colombians 2-1 in the previous round after a high intensity game, thanks to a goal by Raphaël Ginsbourger 50 seconds before the end of the game, it is the experienced english team who face the Bleus. Victorious of the British in Round Robin, the French are in a strong position before entering this semi-final.
First half :
This feeling of superiority was confirmed at the start of the game with a goal by the French team on its first offensive after barely 1 minute of play. signed by Maxime Piaser.
France 1 (Piaser 1 ’) – Great Britain: 0
French domination is total at the start of the game, the English are cornered in their side and concede a new goal seven minutes later. This time by Pierre-Alban Lalys.
France: 2 (Piaser 1 ’, Lalys 8’) – Great Britain: 0
If we could expect an easy end to the match, it was without counting on the English fighting spirit. Specialists in comeback, they had already made a spectacular comeback in 2016 against the New Zealand ogre. Led 4-1, it was the over-excited British who triumphed over Kiwis who probably did not expect such resistance. Victims of a guilty release, the players of Cédric Rollin and Thomas Roussel also suffered English rage. With more presence defensively and physically, especially under the leadership of their captain Graham Fletcher and Scott Allen, the English regain the upper hand. After a time-out taken by the British coach 6 minutes from the end of the first period, it is the men of the United Kingdom who dominate and it is France who make mistakes and fouls. For the moment, France is resisting to the English waves.
Second half:
Despite the halftime, the problems are not solved for the French who concede a penalty shot at the second minute of the second half. It will be transformed by Matthew Willis who plays Quentin Thomazo and allows Great Britain to reduce the gap in this semi-final which is now completely open.
France: 2 (Piaser 1 ’, Lalys 8’) – Great Britain: 1 (Willis 17 ’)
France is trying to react with Maxime Piaser and Raphaël Ginsbourger who show the extent of their technical abilities. But it is indeed the English who, like the Bleus in the first half, dominate the debates. The match is becoming increasingly choppy with many players sent to prison by the referees. When the French team had only 4 players after the temporary expulsions of Hyacinthe Flandrin and Florent Véronèse, the inevitable happened. After a period of British domination, Tom Pitchforth equalized within 2 minutes of the end of the game.
France: 2 (Piaser 1 ’, Lalys 8’) – Great Britain: 2 (Willis 17 ’, Pitchforth 28’)
British pressure is becoming more and more intense and it took a holy intervention from a French defender at the very end of the game to keep the dream alive. It’s the end of regular time, the outcome of this match will be decided in overtime.
Overtime:
The first period of 5 minutes just started, as the pride reaction of the french team who regain the physical advantage over the English despite a fairly rough game which is explained by the amount of energy used since the start of the game.
Second half:
Still dominating, the French team sieges in the British camp and pushes the English to make fouls. Maxime Piaser, omnipresent throughout the game, takes advantage of the absence of Scott Allen, who had not yet had time to replace after his expulsion, to eliminate three players. Florent Véronèse took advantage of the Moirans player’s technical recital to deliver the French team by sending the puck to the bottom of the English goal 50 seconds before the end of the second half of overtime.
France: 3 (Piaser 1 ’, Lalys 8’, Véronèse 39 ’) – Great Britain: 2 (Willis 17’, Pitchforth 28 ’)
The British will not come back, France is in the final of the world championships! At the end of a match that will remain in the history of underwater hockey, the french won and will face the New Zealand favorites in final who triumphed over the Turks 3-1 after a rough match.
