- Fran Reilly
- Thu, Jun 16 2016
France left it very late but it didn't matter as the hosts eventually ran out 2-0 winners in Marseille to secure their spot in the knockout phase of Euro 2016 – with Albania desperately unlucky to come away with nothing.
Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba were surprisingly left on the bench by French boss Didier Deschamps, yet both were summoned to turn this from a shock draw into an 11th win from their last 12 internationals. The former netted the first goal in the 90th minute while the latter created the second for Dimitri Payet deep in stoppage time.
Football is a cruel game and it was most definitely cruel to Albania here, especially considering they are a nation making their major tournament debut in France. Despite two solid performances against Switzerland and Les Bleus, they now sit bottom of Group A with no goals and zero points having lost 1-0 to the Swiss and 2-0 here.
The Red and Blacks have a slight chance of going through as one of the best third-placed teams in the group should they pick up three points against Romania on Sunday, but unless they find a way to score goals they could well be on a flight home on Monday morning.
The opening 45 minutes saw neither side really make their mark in an attacking sense as they managed just two shots each, a disappointing return from a French point of view as they dominated possession. Oliver Giroud will be wondering how he didn't convert either of the headed chances Payet teed up for him in the first-half – he put both off target.
It was Albania who almost broke the deadlock after the restart through Ledian Memushaj. Bacary Sagna looked to be favourite to reach Armando Sadiku's cross but Memushaj nipped in ahead him. The ball struck his thigh and Hugo Lloris was able to push it onto the post, with the ball hitting Memushaj on the head while he was still on the ground.
Pogba came on for Anthony Martial for the second half and Payet teed him up with superb outside of the boot cross within nine minutes, but the Juventus midfielder couldn't control his effort and it flew over the bar. Payet himself had a pop in the 59th minute but he curled his long range shot just wide of the target.
Kante crossed for Giroud but he headed it across goal to no avail. Evra was next to assist the Arsenal striker and he came even closer this time, eluding his marker Mergim Mavraj before heading against the upright. Great connection, it just lacked accuracy.
France had chance after chance blocked or put off target and the home fans inside the stadium must have seriously wondered if they were on the verge of dropping two points.
But, finally, Deschamps' side got their goal in the 90th minute through one of the two surprise exclusions from the starting XI, Antoine Griezmann. The Atletico Madrid forward rose highest to glance home a Adil Rami cross with his head to send the Stade Velodrome into ecstasy.
Payet then, such a force in the first two games of this tournament, got an insurance second in the sixth minute of injury time, which was also his second goal in the competition.
Collecting Pogba's pass, he darted into the penalty area and checked inside Taulant Xhaka before curling right-footed beyond the despairing dive of Albania 'keeper Etrit Berisha, who, oddly, can't claim to have been really tested in this match.
France: Hugo Lloris; Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny, Adil Rami, Patrice Evra; Kingsley Coman (Antoine Griezmann, 68), N'Golo Kanté, Blaise Matuidi, Anthony Martial (Paul Pogba, 46); Dimitri Payet, Olivier Giroud (André-Pierre Gignac, 77).
Subs not used: Steve Mandanda (GK), Benoît Costil (GK), Christophe Jallet, Lucas Digne, Yohan Cabaye, Eliaquim Mangala, Morgan Schneiderlin, Moussa Sissoko, Samuel Umtiti.
Bookings: N. Kante (88).
Albania: Etrit Berisha; Arlind Ajeti (Frédéric Veseli, 85), Ansi Agolli, Elseid Hysaj, Andi Lila (Odise Roshi, 71); Mergim Mavraj, Amir Abrashi, Burim Kukeli (Taulant Xhaka, 74), Ermir Lenjani; Ledian Memushaj, Armando Sadiku.
Subs not used: Orges Shehi (GK), Alban Hoxha (GK), Shkelzen Gashi, Sokol Cikalleshi, Lorik Cana, Migjen Basha, Bekim Balaj, Naser Aliji, Ergys Kace.
Bookings: B. Kukeli (55), A. Abrashi (81).
Referee: William Collum (SCO).
Attendance: 67,354.
Extratime Man of the Match: Dimitri Payet (France).
