http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/France-c2899: Yoan Gourcuff and Philippe Mexes find the target – Euro 2012 qualifier
Goals from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Belarus-c2849 to four points.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Patrice-Evra-c29231 and Franck Ribery played their first international match after France’s embarrassing first round exit from FIFA World Cup 2010. Evra and Ribery were involved in a protest against the then manager, Raymond Domenech, during the World Cup 2010 finals. Consequently, the duo had not featured for France ever since.
Coach Luc Holtz Luxembourg has had a miserable Euro 2012 qualifying campaign so far; his side are rock bottom of the Group D with a solitary point to their name.
The game started off with both the sides taking a defensive approach. Luxembourg threatened first as Lars Krogh Gerson was on the end of a Gilles Bettmer’s free-kick, but the French goalkeeper made a routine save. On the other end, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 winger deflected his effort wide of the goal.
Philippe Mexes broke the deadlock in the 28th minute. Les Blues were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position and Samir Nasri’s delivery was headed in by the Giallorossi defender. The visitors continued to press forward and were presented with another opportunity. Yoan Gourcuff found Sagna inside the box and the Right-back’s shot forced a decent save from Luxembourg goalkeeper.
France continued to boss the possession without really threatening the home side’s defence. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Karim-Benzema-c20350 was able to beat defender Guy Blaise but his touch deserted him and goalkeeper was able to collect to the ball.
Luxembourg were restricted to half chances in the first-half. This was evident from Aurelien Joachim’s long range effort which flew harmlessly over the French goal.
In the 72nd minute, France finally doubled their Advantage. Mexes’s long-ball found Ribery on the wing and after beating a defender, the Bayern Munich winger drilled in a cross. Luxembourg defence failed to cope with the threat and Yoan Gourcuff was on hand to slide the ball home from just six yards out. With his side leading 2-0, Benzema was presented with an opportunity to add his name to the score sheetb but the chance went begging; Malouda’s miss-kick fell to the Real Madrid forward who fired his shot off target.
Despite dominating the possession, Les Blues scored only twice against a modest-at-best opposition. Laurent Blanc will surely feel that his side needs to create and score more goals. All in all, it was a professional if unspectacular performance from the French team.
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