The French team dominated by Sweden at the World Championship

Three days after delivering a superb meeting against Finland (but with a 5-3 loss) and a few hours after having ensured its maintenance (thanks to the victory of the Finns over Austria), the France team conceded a clear defeat against Sweden (4-0), Saturday during its fifth outing in the group stage of the World Cup in Tampere (Finland) .

The Blues were diminished by numerous absences (Ritz and Treille injured, Perret forfeited this week due to injury, Texier and Guebey victims of gastroenteritis), in addition to all the players who had given up before the start of the World Cup (Bellemare, Auvitu, Dubé, Buysse, Da Costa, Fleury).

Sweden needed just one minute to open the scoring, by Par Lindholm. She scored all her goals in the first period alone, thanks to Fabian Zetterlund (San Jose Sharks), who scored twice, and Jonatan Berggren (Detroit Red Wings), who was helped by a French player who unintentionally slipped the puck for his own purpose. The Swedes also fired three times at the posts.

Papillon replaces Junca in the French goal

Holder – as he had been against Finland – Julian Junca this time had to give up his place, at the start of the second period, to Quentin Papillon, the new goalkeeper of Bordeaux. Sweden did not try to increase their lead. But Papillon, who was playing his first match in a World Cup, was still able to get out of important saves and finally finished his match without having gone to get the puck in the back of the net.

In attack, the Blues tried their luck. There was a nice counter-attack from Dylan Fabre and Charles Bertrand (11th), which was however stopped by Lars Johansson, the Swedish goalkeeper, and a good action led by Tim Bozon and concluded with a shot from Jules Boscq (37th ), which Johansson managed to deflect.

The France team will return to the stage on Sunday (7:20 p.m.) against the United States, which, like the Swedish team, have so far won all their matches.