France beats Luxembourg 2-0 in Euro 2012 qualifier

Posted Wednesday, October 13, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

METZ, France (AP)—Karim Benzema and Yoann Gourcuff scored a goal in each half on Tuesday as France beat 10-man Luxembourg 2-0 to stay top of its group in European Championship qualifying.

A third straight win for coach Laurent Blanc’s team by the same score gives it nine points in Group D, one more than Belarus.

“It’s a relief after we started qualifying badly with a defeat against Belarus,” Blanc said. “It’s a good sign, but we still have things we need to improve, although it’s easier to do that when you keep winning.”

Benzema showed good composure to control Gourcuff’s corner with one touch and then smack it home with the next to give France the lead in the 22nd minute.

Gourcuff’s swirling shot from 25 yards (meters) in the 76th sealed the win.

“It wasn’t the easiest win, we scored from a set piece and then with an extra man,” France winger Florent Malouda said. “But the main thing is that we won, even though it was harder than we expected.”

After seven months without a goal, Gourcuff has scored in his last two games for France.

“It’s a pleasure to see Yoann score, it’s good for his confidence,” Malouda said.

Luxembourg midfielder Rene Peters was sent off early in the second half after hacking down Gourcuff with both feet.

Belarus won 2-0 at home to Albania.

France gave the ball away far too cheaply and waited until the 21st minute for its first chance.

Center-half Philippe Mexes chested down a corner and hit a brilliant low volley toward the bottom left corner that prompted an equally good save from Jonathan Joubert.

Gourcuff’s ensuing corner went over the top of the defense and fell to Benzema, who controlled the ball perfectly before smacking it in off the post for his 10th international goal in 31 appearances.

Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby then forced Joubert into two saves as France pushed for a second goal.

Blanc made three changes from the Romania win, replacing Samir Nasri with Gourcuff, bringing Diaby into central midfield for Yann M’Vila, and opting for center forward Guillaume Hoarau instead of right winger Mathieu Valbuena.

M’Vila and Valbuena were rested, Nasri came on in the second half.

Blanc opted for a more conventional 4-4-2 formation that helped him win the league title with Bordeaux three seasons ago, rather than the 4-2-3-1 against Romania.

Blanc has yet to decide on his long-term captain, but Bordeaux midfielder Alou Diarra wore the armband for the third time in Blanc’s fifth game in charge since replacing Raymond Domenech following the World Cup debacle.

Luxembourg went with a five-man midfield with Charles Leweck as the lone striker.

Leweck has not scored a single goal in 21 international matches, but he forced goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to charge out of the penalty area and head the ball away shortly before France scored.

Metz’s Saint-Symphorien stadium hosted the game and is just 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Luxembourg’s border.

Luxembourg’s players got a hearty welcome from several hundred fans, who even held up a banner saying: ‘France 0, Luxembourg 4’ in an ironic gesture.

Luxembourg right back Mario Mutsch, a former car mechanic, plays his club football for Metz and got good applause.

France started the second half strongly but Hoarau fluffed a good chance after Benzema and Gourcuff combined to put him through on goal.

Defenders Adil Rami and Mexes then both left the ball for one another in the 52nd when a cross came in.

Peters was shown his second yellow card in the 54th after clattering Gourcuff from behind. Gourcuff went down clutching his left ankle and was taken off on a stretcher.

Gourcuff shook off the knock and soon after his cross to Malouda was headed over by the Chelsea winger.

With 30 minutes remaining, Blanc replaced Benzema with Dimitri Payet and Malouda with Nasri.

Diaby set up Gourcuff for a chance, but his shot was blocked, before Hoarau scooped the ball wide from Nasri’s cross and was then replaced by Loic Remy— scorer of France’s opener against Romania.

After setting up Gourcuff’s goal—just like he did for France’s second against Romania—Payet created another chance for Gourcuff in the last minute, but Gourcuff’s header was straight at Joubert. Nasri was then foiled by Joubert.