France through after easy win
France through after easy win
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Friday, 23, Jun 2006 10:07
Two goals in six second-half minutes were enough to guide France past Togo and into the second round of the World Cup, setting up a mouth-watering tie with Spain.
Goals from Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry saw off the challenge of the African debutants but a victory for Switzerland in the other group H match means the French will face an impressive-looking Spanish side in the next round.
Les Bleus started brightly, with Franck Ribery looking particularly dangerous in taking the play to the yellow-shirted Africans but flattering to deceive with the final pass or shot.
It was Ribery who spurned the best chance of the half, blazing the ball over the bar with only the keeper to beat.
Other than this one clear-cut opportunity, France were more frequently denied by the offside flag than by any water-tight Togo defending.
First a David Trezeguet tap-in was ruled out when Ribery perhaps should have shot himself, then Henry and Trezeguet again were halted by the assistant referee’s raised arm.
The second half started as the first had ended, with France pushing forward but failing to find the finishing touch to some intricate approach play. Ribery again wasted a good chance when he got underneath a guilt-edged opportunity from 12 yards out.
Then came the breakthrough. On 55 minutes, another jinking run from Ribery ended when he squared the ball inside to Patrick Vieira and the Juventus midfielder turned and shot, beating Kossi Agassa’s outstretched left-hand.
The goal seemed to inspire the French fans and galvanise the team and soon after, the lead was doubled. Vieira was again involved, flicking on a through-ball for Thierry Henry who thumped the ball past the flat-footed goalkeeper.
In truth, Togo rarely looked like troubling the French and the only obstacle to the European side’s progression was their own woeful finishing. However, with safety in numbers and 20 shots on goal, the result was rarely in doubt once the deadlock was broken.