Laid-back France confident, Eyquem says

By MELTON PAIS
FRANCE had a well-deserved rest yesterday after beating Japan 2-1 in their Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup semi-final at the Sir John Guise Stadium on Tuesday.
Coach Gilles Eyquem said after an intense and exhausting match against one of Asia’s best teams, his girls took yesterday off and visited some villages at Fisherman Island off Port Moresby.
Eyquem said they would get back to training today to prepare for the grand final against North Korea at the National Football Stadium on Saturday.
He said winning against a technically-gifted team like Japan had not been an easy task.
“We knew that taking on Japan was going to be tough and we worked hard towards it in our training so we have seen a perfect outcome,” Eyquem said.
“I am happy with my girls for bringing our team to the final regardless of the intense matches in the last two weeks and the hot environment in Papua New Guinea.”
He said that he always reminded his girls to be content with the game plan and be confident.
For the game against North Korea, Eyquem had nothing new up his sleeve except the usual message to his charges: “Always have confidence in yourself and remember that you are representing a nation.”
France and the US were the top contenders in group C but the Americans went down to the North Koreans in their semi-final.
Eyquem noted that the North Koreans played fantastic football but were not as technically-astute as the Japanese.
“Overall I have high hopes for my side,” he said.