For their final match in the Euro 2026 qualifiers, the French women’s team easily defeated Finland (39-16) and finished undefeated.
The French team didn’t hold back. Three days after crushing Kosovo, a rejuvenated French team concluded the Euro 2026 qualification phase with a significant victory against Finland at the Arena Futuroscope. A match where the Scandinavians led for only two minutes after Ella Saukkonen’s opening goal (2 goals from 3 shots). In fact, although the French team took some time to find their attacking rhythm, they quickly developed their chemistry. While the Finnish team stayed within two or three goals in the first ten minutes, captain Tamara Horacek (6 goals from 8 shots) paved the way for a 6-0 lead, allowing the French team to gain control.
The French team strong on both sides of the court
A new sequence of six goals scored consecutively, including contributions from Lylou Borg (5 goals from 5 shots) and Manon Errard (6 goals from 6 shots), helped the French team surpass a ten-goal lead. The end of the first half saw Finland take advantage of a slight French dip, but Marine Dupuis (6 goals from 8 shots) ensured the French team entered halftime with a twelve-goal margin. Back on the court, the Finnish attack made several mistakes while Floriane André (7 saves at 47% efficiency) replaced Laura Glauser (4 saves at 33% efficiency). The result was an 8-1 scoreline in nine minutes.
Less than 100 goals conceded
Héléna Mathon (4 goals from 4 shots) seized the opportunity to shine in the French team jersey. Before the match, coach Sébastien Gardillou had set a goal for his players not to concede more than 23 goals to stay under 100 goals conceded in the qualifiers. Strong in defense, the French team met their coach’s expectations. The end of the match saw the Poitiers crowd enjoy a high-level defensive performance from the French team, while the attack found solutions to increase the lead. In the end, the French team emerged victorious by 23 goals (39-16) and the young generation gained confidence as they aim to qualify for Euro 2026.
