France concluded their World Cup warm-up matches with a crushing 8-0 defeat of Jamaica in Lille on Sunday evening, their largest international win since their 10-0 Azerbaijan victory in 1995.
It was a result that meant France head to Brazil with an undefeated record of two wins and a draw, having scored 13 goals and only conceded one in their warm-up friendlies.
Having previously drawn Paraguay and routed Norway 4-0 earlier, Les Bleus will go into their opening Group E game against the Honduras in a buoyant mood.
With the injury to Frank Ribery that has seen him recently dropped from the squad, France coach Didier Deschamps experimented with both Olivier Giroud and Karim Benzema in attack. Indeed Deschamps had seldom ever lined up both strikers together, and looked to test their partnership one last time before flying to Brazil.
The result was mostly satisfying. Deschamps kept with his 4-3-3, starting Benzema on the left but giving him license to roam. The Real Madrid striker took a bit of time to get going, but in the end found his groove, assisting three of France’s goals and managing a brace of his own to help Les Bleus to an 8-0 win. Benzema was in full flight during the second half especially, stretching the field with his movement down the left and using his vision to play in his teammates.
The only negative note about Benzema’s positioning on the left would have been that he abandoned Patrice Evra, who had to deal with numerous attacks down his wing from the Jamaican fullback in the opening minutes of the game.
One thing Deschamps is bound to have learnt from these three friendlies is that he can count on Giroud. The target man offers a good reference point and with his useful back-to-goal game, quick interplay, and clever runs, has proven himself a viable weapon for Les Bleus. The Arsenal striker has scored four goals and provided three assists during France’s warm-up friendlies.
Mathieu Valbuena also gave assurances that he can take a more preponderant playmaking role in the absence of Ribery. So did Antoine Griezmann, who came on in the last 20 minutes and scored twice.
Finally Moussa Sissoko, who started instead of Paul Pogba, also made a good outing and showed Deschamps that he will make a trustworthy replacement should Pogba or Blaise Matuidi be unavailable. Although the Newcastle man is not as technically gifted as either starter, he offers the same physicality and forward thrust that Deschamps privileges in that position.
One question that remains is on France’s defense. Although Deschamps seems set on his Raphael Varane and Mamadou Sakho central pairing, none of their warm-up opponents truly tested Les Bleus enough to have any reassurances.
Finally, in spite of the good partnership Benzema and Giroud struck in the opening 70 minutes against Jamaica, it is still unsure whether he will opt for it as his starting lineup. Should Deschamps still have doubts however, and for a duo whose tense relationship is well documented, France’s fourth goal and the warm embrace they shared in celebration might augur good things of this potential partnership.
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