Les Bleues Secure Victory Against Sweden in Thrilling Third-Place Playoff

During the final where Spain triumphed over Germany to claim the trophy, the third-place match of the Women’s Nations League took an unexpected turn. After securing a first-leg win (2-1), the French players, under coach Laurent Bonadei, started strong and appeared in control. They created significant chances in the first half, including a shot that hit the post by De Almeida (14th minute) and a close call from a lob by Rytting Kaneryd (9th minute). After the break, France finally converted their dominance into a goal, with Clara Mateo scoring in the 58th minute after a perfect assist from Diani, leading them to believe they were on track for a comfortable ending.

However, Sweden refused to give up, taking advantage of France’s defensive lapses. The Scandinavian substitutes turned the game around: Ijeh, left unmarked, equalized with a header from a free kick in the 84th minute, and Kafaji capitalized on a mistake by Peyraud-Magnin to score and give Sweden the lead (2-1, 90+2). In just a few minutes, France lost a chance at third place that seemed secure, forcing extra time despite having controlled most of the match. Yet, the extra half-hour worked in favor of France, as Gago scored immediately after the break (2-2, 106th minute). Thanks to this draw, the French team took home the third-place finish in the Nations League.