FRANCE EMBARRASS ISLANDERS, JAPAN CRUISE

Guwahati, Oct. 8: Fancied France kicked off their campaign on a rousing note, inflicting a 7-1 humiliation on debutants New Caledonia in a Group E match of the Fifa U-17 World Cup here on Sunday.

A formidable force in international football, France were on the ball from the word go at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, and their hapless opponents on the backfoot throughout.

Interestingly, the French scored six goals in the first half.

The European heavyweights opened the account when Bernard Iwa scored an own goal to give France the lead in the fifth minute.

Amine Gouiri doubled the tally in the 20th minute when he found the back of the net from centre of the box after being fed by Yacine Adli. Ten minutes later, Claudio Gomes made it 3-0.

In the 40th minute, it turned from bad to worse for New Caledonia as Maxence Caqueret made use of Adli’s headed pass to score France’s fifth goal.

And if that was not enough, France benefitted when New Caledonia conceded another own goal France 7 1 4 0

this time through Kiam Wanesse. In the 90th minute, New Caledonia scored their first goal when Sidri Wadenges’ left-footed shot from the right found the back of the net. France Honduras

Japan (Nakamura 22nd, 30th, 43rd, Kubo 45th, Miyashiro 51st, Suzuki 90th)

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completed the rout when Wilson Isidor scored in the first minute of injury time. Keito Nakamura struck a hat-trick as Japan brushed aside Honduras 6-1 in their one-sided Group E match here.

Takefasu Kubo, Taisei Miyashiro and Tochi Suzuki were the other scorers for the winners while Patrick Palacios reduced the margin for Honduras.

Nakamura opened the floodgates for Japan and pumped in three consecutive goals before Kubo made it 4-0 in the last minute of half time.

Miyashiro consolidate Japan’s lead in the 51st minute before Suzuki (90th) completed the rout.