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In front of a large crowd at Parc des Princes, a team responding to a country's desire for history swept its lower opponents with a comfortable 4-0 win.
The accumulation was intense. But after the opening ceremony and the pbadionate rendition of the national anthem, and despite the presence of the country's president, there was no visible sign of nervousness in the home team .
But Paris has not been invaded by the fever of the Women's World Cup. Not yet at least. On a bleak afternoon in the heart of the French capital, neither along the banks of the Seine nor near the Eiffel Tower, was there evidence that, just five kilometers away, a crowd of 45,261 people would gather later in the evening for the opening match. from a world tournament.
Perhaps many events would be swallowed up in such a vast city. Many, perhaps, other than the Men's World Cup and the Open de France, constitute the second grand slam tennis of the year which reached its peak in Paris this weekend.
Three of the matches played in the capital ended in sales. In the Princes' Park on a dazzling Friday night, there was no doubt about the pbadion of the partisan crowd, which seemed to be a mix of young and old, men and women. .
They applauded at the first glance of their compatriots on the big screen, waiting in the bowels of the stadium before making their entry.
VAR used for the first time at the Women's World Cup
Fourth in the world and with seven members of the winning team of the Champions League Lyon, France should move from group A with ease and reach at least the semifinals.
However, this Women's World Cup being the most competitive since its inception in 1991, it is difficult to predict whether women in blue will match those of their male counterparts in Russia last year.
Few opponents will be more obliging this month in South Korea, which is participating in its third Women's World Cup but has only won one victory so far. Rare was the sight of a South Korean in white shirt in the opposing half. French goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi did not have to save before the second half.
The local team took advantage in the ninth minute when Eugenie Le Sommer's center, the captain of the opposing team, Amandine Henry, scored.
Apart from Bouhaddi, the entire team gathered near the local flag to celebrate. A lot of joy, and maybe some relief, to take such a superb start.
South Korea was too poor an opponent to make this match a show. France thought they had scored a second in the 27th minute when Griedge Mbock Bathy superbly returned the ball home, but VAR did not allow the withdrawal of the goal for offside.
A chorus of madmen went around the stadium before France resumed the attack. And even.
A second goal was scored in the 35th minute when Wendie Renard returned from the corner and the third goal came. Once again, it was Renard who stood high on the far post and produced a ball head.
"Rooted in chauvinism"
South Korea improved after the break, coming closer to defeat when Lee Mina scored a goal, but a deserved goal for captain Henry at the end of the match raised the crowd and allowed the to end in beauty "Go Les Bleus." After the final whistle, France showed its appreciation of home support with a stadium tour.
This tournament does not need a home triumph to be successful, but having the home nation in the final stages would add a sense of joie de vivre to a competition that, according to FIFA, "breaks records ".
Nearly one million tickets were sold and never before had there been so many talents and so many contenders for one title. Never, perhaps, did women's football have such a platform.
But the golden hue that surrounds France 2019 – the sold-out crowds, the record audiences of television – should not hide the inequalities that still exist.
FIFA, the governing body of sport, continues to be criticized for the rewards offered at this tournament.
Raised from $ 15 million to $ 30 million, the total prize money has doubled since 2015, but for the 2018 Men's World Cup, the pot was $ 400 million, the French winner winning $ 38 million.
Former American goalkeeper Hope Solo told BBC Sport earlier this week that this disparity showed that FIFA was "steeped in chauvinism".
In CNN Sport's "World Cup Continental" series, the unifying thread that has surrounded footballers around the world is that the battle for recognition and equality is underway.
However, not only is there an inequality between the men's and women's teams, but there is also a gap between the countries competing in France.
Much remains to be improved, but it was the perfect start for a tournament that promises a lot.
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