Les Bleus netted four first half goals, a tournament record, as they progressed to set up a semi-final with Germany. “In any case, he’s not an insurmountable wall”.
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“We scored five goals and are very pleased, although we did concede two”.
Against England Iceland responded nearly immediately to falling behind, but France refused to allow them a route back into the game.
The following season, Giroud scored against Borussia Dortmund. He said Griezmann’s pass for his goal had been “a gift”.
His muscular style of play, allied to good technique and heading ability, seems to work against German players. No, Germany are the world champions and will be favourites.
No wonder, given his track record and his current form, he is confident about the week ahead.
“Apart from how good technically they were tonight, I think they had a lot more energy”.
“That’s something really, really extra at this tournament, with all the fans coming here, and what we heard from back home”.
Was it only six weeks ago Giroud was being jeered by his own supporters?
West Ham United midfielder Dimitri Payet has heaped praise on France following their 5-2 win over Iceland.
“It’s nice to be cheered”.
The 29-year-old has been a sensation for West Ham United since joining last summer from Marseille.
“That was the thing with all of the games – the fans have been incredible”, he said.
“We’ve got a couple of months I think [until the qualifiers], maybe a month – I don’t know what day it is”, he added.
France winning the Euro 2016 is a higher possibility now because the team is extremely confident and playing together.
France chief coach Didier Deschamps was very satisfied with the performance.
Some observers view Giroud’s success as a triumph over Benzema, having been in his shadow.
Pogba played deep in the center of the French midfield, in a distribution role that his former teammate at Juventus, Andrea Pirlo, made an art of. Payet and Griezmann again showed their class, each scoring fine goals. “(Karim) will be back in the (France) team.
“There are no problems and nothing for sure for me to say against him”. Giroud added a fifth for France immediately after in the 60th minute from a attractive freekick by Payet.
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The second came seven minutes later as Pogba rose majestically to power home Griezmann’s corner before Iceland nearly snatched a goal back when Kolbeinn Sigthorsson flicked Aron Gunnarsson’s long throw into the path of Jon Dadi Bodvarsson to wastefully lift over the bar from close range.
