Thanks to 60 minutes of top-class football, France beat Colombia 3-1 in a friendly in Washington on Sunday, three days after beating Brazil 2-1. The reshuffled starting eleven selected by Didier Deschamps proved effective.
A World Cup isn’t won with 11 players, but with 25 or 26, and the French team showed they have a very strong case to go all the way in three and a half months’ time in the United States.
Three days after the first-team’s victory over Brazil (2-1), Les Bleus’ substitutes dominated Colombia (3-1) this Sunday in a friendly, putting in a convincing attacking performance. Ready for the World Cup.
Doué and Thuram get Les Bleus off to a flying start
Under the blazing Washington sun, both teams attacked this match as if it were anything but a friendly, with aggression, pace and intensity. In response to a blocked shot from a towering Zaïre-Emery in the opening minutes, Luis Diaz fired a thunderbolt that flew wide of Samba’s goal, before Lucas Hernandez saved Les Bleus by clearing the ball at the last moment from the six-yard box in front of Arias.
Led by a Cherki in fine form, and an Akliouche who was also on top of his game, the French team were nonetheless exposed to Colombia’s swift counter-attacks, and Samba had to work hard to save a powerful shot from James Rodriguez. But from yet another move initiated by Cherki, which finally brought Thuram into play, Doué found the net with a shot blocked by Muñoz on the edge of the box (0-1, 29′).
This goal rewarded a very solid and thoroughly satisfying first half from Les Bleus, especially as Thuram doubled the lead with a header from an impeccable cross by Akliouche (0-2, 41′), and the Inter striker then proved too selfish with a chance to make it 3-0. A non-stop attacking display, with Doué in turn coming close to a brace after a fine individual run.
Thuram to Doué, the duo strike again
The 3-0 came early in the second half, with Akliouche, Cherki, Thuram and Doué once again in action. At the end of the swift move, the match’s second goalscorer set up the first for a brace on a plate with a clever pull-back (0-3, 56th). From then on, the French side were able to manage the technically well-executed, if slightly less flamboyant, closing stages of the match at their leisure.
It is worth noting that in this match, in which Les Bleus often shone thanks to their attacking flair, the defence also held its own until the final quarter of an hour, when it gave Campaz too much space to reduce the deficit with the help of the post (1–3, 77′). It was enough to rouse the Colombians, who suddenly looked sharper, but they woke up too late to unsettle France, who could have extended their lead further had Ekitike not squandered his one-on-one chance.
A very good performance from Les Bleus despite a frantic end to the match, where a dangerous mix-up notably went their way.
