SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) — Forwards Olivier Giroud and Karim Benzema each scored one goal and created another as a rampant France blew away Switzerland 5-2 Friday to take control of Group E and all but seal a place in the next round.
France have six points and can qualify if Ecuador and Honduras draw later Friday.
“It was a great night for us. We hurt them with our quick attacks and with the variety of our play,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “You can always ask if it’s us who played well or whether the opponent was weak, but I prefer to focus on how we played.”
Giroud and Blasie Matuidi scored a minute apart and Mathieu Valbuena added another to give France a 3-0 halftime lead.
Benzema made up for a first-half penalty miss with a poacher’s finish in the 67th, and then turned provider for Moussa Sissoko, who made it 5-0 with a neat side-footed effort in the 73rd.
Group E Standings
Win
Loss
Draw
Goals For
Goals Against
Points
France
2
0
0
8
0
6
Switzerland
1
1
0
4
6
3
Ecuador
0
1
0
1
2
0
Honduras
0
1
0
0
3
0
Schedule and Results
Sunday, June 15
Switzerland 2, Ecuador 1
France 3, Honduras 0
Friday, June 20
France 5, Switzerland 2
6 p.m.: Honduras vs Ecuador at Arena da Baixada, Curitiba
Wednesday, June 25
4 p.m.: Ecuador vs France at Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro
4 p.m.: Honduras vs Switzerland at Arena Amazonia, Manaus
