In Montpellier, the French team showed progress in their play yesterday. However, Laurent Blanc’s men struggled against a determined and persistent Chilean side. That didn’t stop them from opening the score through Rรฉmy (20th minute). But in the second half, the French team suffered, eventually conceding a frustrating draw.
After taking the lead thanks to Loรฏc Rรฉmy, the French side ended up drawing the match against Chile in the last quarter of an hour (1-1).
Tenacious, the quarter-finalists of the last World Cup started the match with determination.
However, it was Blanc’s men who opened the score in the 20th minute, thanks to the “Lyonnais” duo Benzema-Rรฉmy (two products of the Rhรดne training ground).
Launched by Samir Nasri on the left, the sharp Madrilenian delivered a delightful cross to the head of the insatiable Marseille striker at the near post, who didn’t miss the target.
The French domination greatly annoyed the Chileans, so much so that Medel’s somewhat coarse behavior earned him a warning half an hour into the game.
A Fatal Relaxation
Trailing at halftime, the Chileans decided to start the second half on the same footing as the beginning of the first.
To the point that the teammates of Eric Abidalโcaptain for the nightโbegan to suffer under the dribbles of an overly motivated Alexis Sanchez.
By the hour mark, the French regained the control of the game. But due to a lapse in attention, the defense was caught off guard by a shot from Cordova that ended up in the top corner of an impotent Hugo Lloris’s net (76th minute).
The score would not change further. Laurent Blanc has reasons to be satisfied with his players’ performance. However, work remains to avoid losing valuable points in Tirana (Albania) in less than a month.
The French team will have to be more efficient against Albania in a month’s time. ยฉJulien Vacheron