Rampant France sparkled in a 5-2 mauling of neighbours Switzerland in World Cup Group E on Friday to move closer to knockout phase four years after one of their darkest days.
France, who beat Honduras 3-0 in their opening game, top the standings with six points and will advance if Ecuador and Honduras draw later.
Goals within 66 seconds from Olivier Giroud and Blaise Matuidi put France 2-0 up inside the opening 20 minutes at the Fonte Nova arena and on their way to a comfortable triumph on the anniversary of the Knysna bus strike at the last tournament in South Africa.
The diminutive Mathieu Valbuena scored a third five minutes before halftime after Karim Benzema’s 32nd-minute penalty was saved by Diego Benaglio.
But Benzema kept up a rich vein of recent scoring form as he grabbed France’s fourth in the 67th minute and Moussa Sissoko added the fifth.
Substitute Blerim Dzemaili hammered home a low free kick nine minutes from time and a volley from Granit Xhaka in the 87th minute gave the Swiss a second late consolation goal.
“That was a very good match, we did a lot of things right,” France coach Didier Deschamps said in a television interview.
“Five goals against a strong Swiss team, we’ve got six points, that’s ideal.”
“We’ve got a group with strong opponents. We’ve prepared well but have to get through the match with Ecuador and then we’ll start from scratch again in the next round.”
The emphatic win continued France’s World Cup rehabilitation as they seek to bury the ghosts of four years ago when a player revolt left their reputation badly stained.
They also provided the spectacle in Salvador that Deschamps said he had hoped for as the venue has now savoured 17 goals in three games.
Giroud, restored to the starting line-up, rose firmly after 17 minutes to head home Valbuena’s corner for the first goal and from the kickoff Valon Behrami’s errant pass was picked by Benzema who surged forward to set up Matuidi from the left.
Had Benaglio better covered his near post he might have stopped it but the swift double blow was tantamount to an early knockout.
Source: Supersport
