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Attendance: 70,000
France national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Nov 14, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Moldova national football team

2-1

Varane (35'), Giroud (79' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-1)
Rata (9')

France boss Didier Deschamps "not satisfied" after lacklustre Moldova win

France boss Didier Deschamps
© Reuters
France knew they had already qualified before kick-off in Paris.

France boss Didier Deschamps denied that his team's lacklustre display in the 2-1 victory over Moldova was down to Les Blues having already qualified for Euro 2020.

Turkey's draw with Iceland earlier on Thursday had eased any pressure on France, guaranteeing their place at next summer's tournament, and Deschamps' men put in an underwhelming performance in Paris.

With the need to win removed, Les Bleus made a sloppy start as calamitous defending from Clement Lenglet saw Vadim Rata give the visitors a shock lead with nine minutes on the clock.

Raphael Varane headed an equaliser before half-time and a late penalty from Olivier Giroud got France out of jail, with the three points moving them to the top of Group H.

Asked if being qualified before kick-off had an effect, Deschamps told L'Equipe: "I do not think so and I do not hope so because it's not enough to be qualified. The possibility of finishing first came with a victory.

"Our first goal came from an error by their goalkeeper but our first-half performance was insufficient. I am not satisfied with our attacking play in the first period.

"In the second half we were more consistent, even if we lacked efficiency. We had 17 strikes, not always on target, but in the first half it was too little.

"There was a tendency to ask for the ball only in the feet and not in behind. There was not enough movement and availability. It was too static, there was a lack of mobility. But I don't think this was because of the result in the earlier match."

Deschamps revealed he was angry with his players at half-time before going on to praise Giroud.

"I can sometimes be hard or very hard with them. There is so much potential in this team that when I do not see what I want to see, I say it. I tell them," he said.

"He (Giroud) is effective. How he plays allows other players to have goal chances too. He made the decision to shoot the penalty and he did well. It explains why he plays with us despite his playing time at Chelsea."

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France's Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring their first goal against Iceland on October 11, 2019
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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