Republic undone as French turn in slick performance
Olivier Giroud and Nabil Fekir staked their claims for France’s World Cup opener as they struck to condemn the Republic of Ireland to a 2-0 friendly defeat amid torrential Parisian downpour.
Chelsea frontman Giroud scored from close range, then saw goalkeeper Colin Doyle’s howler hand Fekir a second goal before half-time on a night when Didier Deschamps’ Russia-bound side turned in a slick display.
The home side, prompted from midfield by the excellent Blaise Matuidi behind a front three of Giroud, Fekir and the mercurial Kylian Mbappe, were fluid and incisive despite the absence from the starting line-up of N’golo Kante, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann, and Martin O’neill’s experimental team were almost permanently on the back foot.
Doyle was called upon for the first time when fit-again full-back Benjamin Mendy surged into space on the left and unleashed a fierce leftfooted strike which the keeper parried firmly away with the home side attacking in waves.
But it was far from the last and he had to save at his near post from Mbappe before Giroud glanced a header wide, and the woodwork came to his rescue seven minutes later when Corentin Tolisso swept a first-time shot against the upright from Sidibe’s cross.
However, the keeper’s luck ran out when, after he had managed to repel Giroud’s 40th-minute header from a Fekir corner, the striker’s follow-up appeared to cross the line before Seamus Coleman blocked it and he made sure by stabbing home at the third time of asking.
Doyle’s night took a turn for the worse within four minutes when he managed to get a hand to Fekir’s shot, but could only help it into his own net.
Shane Long sent an injury-time header well over, the Republic’s only first-half attempt of note, and had it not been for Doyle’s swift reaction to turn away Giroud’s shot on the turn six minutes after the restart, it would have been 3-0.
Alan Browne was relieved to see his attempted clearance sail over, rather than under his own crossbar with France pressing relentlessly, and Doyle needed two attempts to collect Matuidi’s 61st-minute diving header. Pogba and Griezmann were both introduced as late substitutes, as was Shamrock Rovers striker Graham Burke, a debutant along with Derrick Williams and Shaun Williams, although there was little else notable about Ireland’s evening at the Stade de France. FRANCE: Mandanda, Sidibe (Pavard 82), Rami, Umtiti (Kimpembe 64), Mendy (Lucas 64), Tolisso (Pogba 77), Nzonzi Matuidi, Mbappe-lottin (Dembele 77), Giroud, Fekir (Griezmann 64). Subs not used: Lloris, Lemar, Kante, Thauvin, Areola. REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Doyle, Coleman, Kevin Long (Shaun Williams 79), Duffy, Derrick Williams (Doherty 82), Browne (Arter 60), Rice, O’dowda (Burke 70), Walters (Meyler 60), Shane Long (Judge 69), Mcclean. Subs not used: O’malley, Cunningham, Egan, Lenihan, Horgan, Stevens.