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France national football team
International Friendlies
May 27, 2014 at 8pm UK
 
Norway national football team

4-0

Pogba (15'), Giroud (51', 69'), Remy (67')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Olivier Giroud brace leads France rout

Arsenal's Olivier Giroud scores two goals as France beat Norway 4-0 in an international friendly at Stade de France.

France have thrashed Norway 4-0 in their final home friendly international before this summer's World Cup in Brazil at Stade de France.

France's players forward Olivier Giroud, forward Blaise Matuidi and defender Mamadou Sakho celebrate after Giroud scored a goal during a friendly football match against Norway on May 27, 2014© Getty Images

The home side looked the stronger of the two from the start as Orjan Nyland had to make two saves inside the first two minutes when Antoine Greizmann and Olivier Giroud both tried to head in.

France broke the deadlock after 15 minutes when Paul Pogba found space inside the box to head in from a Mathieu Valbuena cross.

Pogba almost claimed his second a couple of minutes later as he ran towards the box, but his shot drifted just wide.

Havard Nordtveit came close for the Norwegians in the first half, squeezing a free kick under the wall, but it drifted just wide of the post.

The hosts doubled their lead early in the second half when Giroud recovered from a poor first touch to strike the ball on the half-volley from the edge of the box.

The Arsenal striker almost had another as he stretched for a Valbuena free kick into the box, but he mis-hit it and sent his finish well high of the bar.

Loic Remy made it three less than two minutes after coming off the bench shortly after the hour mark, beating an offside trap before drilling the ball in low.

Giroud was on target again just two minutes later as Norway's defenders struggled to contain their opponents, letting the striker head in from close range for his second of the night.

Remy had a chance to complete a brace inside five minutes when he picked up a through-ball from Moussa Sissoko fell for him, but he could not get his finish on target.

The duo teamed up again inside the final five minutes as France continued to push, but the Queens Parks Rangers forward was denied by Nyland.

France will have further friendlies against Paraguay and Jamaica before the start of the World Cup.

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Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba in action for France against Ukraine on November 15, 2013.
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