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Karim
Benzema: Celebrates goal in 3-0 win over Honduras
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A Karim Benzema brace inspired France to a comfortable 3-0
win over ten-man Honduras in Group E of the World Cup.
The game also saw the first successful usage of goal-line
technology in the tournament during France's second goal - ruling that Honduras
goalkeeper Noel Valladares had pushed the ball over the line in the 48th
minute.
Benzema fired a shot off the post and after it appeared that
the Honduran keeper had prevented it from going in, the GoalControl system
showed that the ball had trickled over the line giving France a 2-0 lead while
officially confirming it as a Valladares own goal.
The game was keenly contested and tempers flared when Paul
Pogba and Wilson Palacios clashed in midfield, with the Juventus midfielder
appearing to kick out at Palacios. Despite the Honduras bench calling for Pogba
to be sent off, both players were issued with a yellow card.
Moments before half-time, France were awarded a penalty
after Pogba was bundled over in the area by the Stoke City player – with
Palacios receiving his second yellow card and subsequent marching orders.
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Wilson Palacios: Shown a red card before half-time
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Benzema scored his first of the game after firing the
resulting spot-kick into the top-left corner - giving France a richly deserved
1-0 lead before the break.
Les Bleus created numerous chances throughout the game, with
both Blaise Matuidi and Antoine Griezmann hitting the bar as Didier Deschamps’
side controlled the match with relative ease.
France’s Benzema was in inspired form and he scored his
second of the game twenty minutes from time. After Mathieu Debuchy’s deflected
shot fell into his path, the Real Madrid man hit it high into Valladares’ goal
– giving France their third goal and a deserved three points.
As well as the three points, France will be just as happy to
have departed without serious injury after 90 minutes of late tackles and
physical intimidation from their limited opponents.
France wasted no time setting the pace, with Antoine
Griezemann and Mathieu Valbuena both impressive.
Griezemann, making his first competitive start, had a fine
chance to open the scoring in the sixth minute when he took a poor clearance on
the chest and saw his goalbound effort blocked.
Valbuena and Mathieu Debuchy were enjoying plenty of joy
down the right and the former's cross caused Valladares to fumble.
Honduras invited pressure with a series of fouls that allowed
Valbuena to send a series of testing free-kicks into the danger area.
Blaise Matuidi nearly scored from a half-cleared Valbuena
delivery, controlling with his thigh then seeing a powerful shot brilliantly
pushed against the bar by Valladares.
France went closer yet in the 23rd minute, Griezemann
beating Maynor Figueroa to a Patrice Evra cross and heading against the
crossbar.
The game could have changed moments later when Palacios
tussled with Paul Pogba, the Honduran guilty of a couple of kicks at his
opponent and Pogba retaliating by rashly flicking a leg out.
After play resumed France's flow had deserted them, with
Benzema beginning to show frustration at his lack of clear opportunities.
Palacios rectified that just before half-time when he barged
through the back of Pogba as he shaped to shoot, earning a second yellow card
and conceding a penalty - which Benzema converted with ease.
Honduras reshuffled with two changes at the break but
shipped a second inside three minutes.
It went down as an own-goal, Valladares palming fractionally
over the line after Benzema's powerful shot bounced back across goal off the
inside of the post.
Honduras boss Luis Suarez seemed unhappy with the verdict
but without good reason.
Amid repeated nasty challenges a third seemed inevitable,
but Matuidi spurned a glorious chance shortly after the hour when slotting
Evra's pinpoint cross into the side netting.
Benzema then provided it with 18 minutes left.
Debuchy's long-range drive did not make it through a crowd
of bodies but fell kindly for the centre forward, who hammered home an
unstoppable shot at the near post.
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France: Comfortable 3-0 winners against Honduras
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