Encouraging play earns relieves pressure on Domenech
Greetings from Munich!
Just a quick post as I’m on limited internet time…
Well it wasn’t the crushing win we were hoping for, but it was apparently very encouraging.
Domenech replaced Mexes with–gulp–Abidal, yet there was thankfully no repeat of his Italy performance. It would have been a huge confidence boost for him. Clichy also came in for Evra and had some dynamite runs down the flank. Perhaps most importantly though, Doms handed the young Gourcuff (Bordeaux) his first start in place of Nasri and he looked every bit the playmaker we’ve desperately needed, pulling the strings and going for goal (he hit the crossbar in the 72nd minute).
Both goals came in the second half, the first by Henry off a Govou pass and the second by Anelka, after Gourcuff had done the work. Anelka had come on at halftime for Benzema.
We annoyingly allowed another set piece goal as the Serbs pulled one back–and it wasn’t the only time in the game we looked weak on set pieces. But, our overall play should give us some good hope going into the Romania game, who themselves had trouble beating the Faroes 1-0.
In other games, Lithuania took the group lead by beating Austria 2-0.
–Stéphane F.
I really enjoyed that game, in large part because of Gourcuff, but Henry’s goal was superb, as was Anelka’s. It’s rare for France to score a couple really nice goals like that. Great stuff.