Euro 2012 Qualifiers match summary: Luxembourg vs France – Unconvincing French put two past http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Luxembourg-c2945
Luxembourg played host to France at the Stade Josy Barthel, in what was a lukewarm encounter in the Euro 2012 qualifying stage. Despite playing a rather boring game and not showing any real signs of being a lethal force, France went on to put two goals past
the home-side while conceding none. The goals on the night came via Philipe Mexes and Yoann Gourcuff.
The line-ups for the game were as follows:
Luxembourg: Joubert, Blaise, Hoffmann, Schnell, Mutsch, Bettmer, Payal, Laterza, Krogh Gerson, Leweck, Joachim
Subs: Oberweis, Martino, Da Mota Alves, Collette, Plein, Bukvic, Kettenmeyer
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/France-c2899: Lloris, Sagna, Evra, Rami, Mexes, Gourcuff, Nasri, Malouda, M'Vila, Ribery, Benzema
Subs: Mandanda, Sakho, Reveillere, Menez, Diarra, Gameiro, Remy
A rather dull match kicked off with the French looking to control the run of play. After nearly half an hour of neither team looking to be any sort of a threat to the other, the French snuck in the opening goal of the game.
In the 28th minute, Phillipe Mexes went on to meet a brilliant cross by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Samir-Nasri-c32360, as the defender went on to thump the ball into the back of the net. Following the goal the play on the pitch seemed to die down and it wasn’t until the 40th
minute that signs of life were shown in the game. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Karim-Benzema-c20350 all had a pop at the Luxembourg goal, however due to a solid effort by Joubert – the Luxembourg keeper and Mutsch the French were kept at bay.
The second-half played out to be almost as uneventful as the previous one and the first chance of the second half came all the way in the 60th minute. After winning the first corner of the second period of the game, a brilliant delivery into the
box was met by Rami. However Joubert dug deep and made a rather outstanding save to keep his side in the game.
Nonetheless in the 72nd minute there was nothing that the keeper could do as France got their second goal of the game. Franck Ribery whizzed down the flank and curled in a brilliant delivery. The ball was then met by Gourcuff on the half volley,
as the midfielder smacked his effort into the back of the net.
Following the second goal, the French went on to top Group D in the Euro qualifiers, having achieved 12 points from five games. On the other hand Luxembourg were bottom of the table having secured only one point from the five games that they played.
The only booking in the game came in the 84th minute as Mutsch was shown a yellow for taking a free-kick too early.
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