BRISBANE, Australia — There might be a strike in Hollywood this summer, but veteran defender Wendie Renard wrote her own superhero blockbuster script on Saturday night and starred as the main character, too. You could not have scripted what happened in Brisbane on Saturday night: doubtful all week because of a calf problem, the French captain wasn’t expected to play until a few minutes before the game. “She will take the decision herself to play or not,” said France head coach Herve Renard in his Friday media availability.
Renard did decide to play, though she did more than that, delivering a superb performance alongside Maelle Lakrar in a gutsy 2-1 win that puts Les Bleues in charge of their destiny. (A draw against Panama puts them through, while a win ensures they finish top.) Oh, and Renard scored the winning goal, too, on a perfect header in the 83rd minute.
“I told Selma [Bacha] before she took the corner: you better apply yourself [and deliver a good cross]! And she did! Then I just had to place it well. It might be my most important goal for the national team, but I hope more will come,” the defender told ESPN after the game.
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But it is not just the goal Renard contributed. All game long, she marked Debinha and Geyse perfectly, steering them away from dangerous positions and preventing them getting off shots. All game, she led her team through what is likely to be one of their toughest games of this competition.
“We needed her so badly and she responded,” Lakrar told ESPN.
You can never write her off, even at 33 and not fully fit. Her experience and leadership are so valuable. “She makes the team cope when we are under pressure. She deals with these moments so well,” said coach Renard before the game, and that’s exactly what she did on Saturday. When Brazil had momentum, the Lyon defender was the calm in the storm, steadying the ship.
“I love this shirt so much,” she said post-match. “We play for the badge and we knew we had to step up after the performance we put up against Jamaica. We did. It was much better collectively. We were aggressive, we created chances, we played with intensity and we got a very important win, especially with the top spot of the group at stake,” she added.
