After Sabrina Delannoy last week, Laure Boulleau is at the centre of episode 2. On the menu: the first games of the competition, how the Parisians have done, and her predictions for France vs. Norway.
The opening games
"Overall, it's been a very positive week. The stadiums have been all but full and there has been a great atmosphere. Of course there was the opening game between France and South Korea at the Parc des Princes, which was played before a sell-out crowd. There were some lovely goals, especially that of Amandine Henry. It looks to me as if the French are up for it, and not only the national team. The stadiums aren't always completely full, but things are going well. I was able to see Spain in Le Havre. There was a decent crowd in. Overall, I think it's positive. Some matches have been a little disappointing, such as Argentina-Japan. There were some games lacking in intensity, attractiveness. But there have also been some nice surprises."
The Parisians
"Spain have been disappointing, even though they got back into the match. They had a lot of possession, but overall lacked rhythm, especially in the final third. Irene [Paredes] didn't have her best game, but she did what she knows how to do. And we can also mention the ex-Parisian Jennifer Hermoso, who scored twice to get Spain back on track.
"Kadidiatou [Diani] played very well with Les Bleues. She's a very consistent player and more often than not starts games. The unusual thing is that she didn't start on the right flank as she usually does. Corinne Diacre chose to put her up front and she justified that with experience and also by looking to get in behind the Koreans. It's always great to see Parisian players play and express themselves at the World Cup.
Christiane [Endler] made an immediate impact. Chile played Sweden, and as you might expect, Sweden dominated, which actually put Christiane in the spotlight. She kept them out as long as she could, but unfortunately conceded two goals late in the game. But without an excellent Christiane, they would have been sunk a lot earlier.
Ashley [Lawrence] was also impressive with Canada. They won their first game, but had a few problems against Cameroon. Ashley was very consistent. She played with a lot of intensity, kept making runs and showed that she can play just as well on the right as on the left. She was also used as a midfielder. She's a versatile player whom the Canadian coach likes and who is used in several positions."
First week highlights
"I've been surprised by the passion of the public, especially for certain games. I'm thinking of Jamaica-Brazil in Grenoble, which was a game I really enjoyed. This competition has gotten good media coverage, but is also doing well in terms of business. You can see a lot of sponsors are interested in the tournament. So there are a lot of good things even though the World Cup has just started. If France has a good run, it could create something huge here in France. The USA's massive win was another highlight. They have been a bit disappointing in friendly matches all year long. But as usual when they arrive at the tournament, they are a very different team. Also, they had all of their first-choice players too, which changes a lot. That big win is good for the USA, but not that good for women's football overall. Seeing a 13-0 at a World Cup means there is still a big difference between certain nations. But they have set the tone and I think they have come to win this trophy, and they have shown that from the first game."
France - Norway
"This match will be a lot more difficult. Norway, who defeated Nigeria 3-0 in their first game, will be more tenacious than the Koreans. I'm thinking notably of their forward Caroline Graham Hansen, who is an exceptional player. She's someone to watch throughout the competition. I think the French are going to try and put in the intensity they had in the first half against South Korea to try and smother them quickly, to try and score quickly, because the longer it goes on, the more difficult it will be.
"Norway have great quality from set-pieces and they have very tall players. They'll have to be very careful. I also think France are happy to play against a stronger opponent, because I get the impression that they won against Korea a little bit too easily. Though they did do what they could to make it as easy for themselves as possible, but they need to prove that they are capable of beating big teams."