France 5 - Switzerland 2

Photo by Christopher Lee

The two teams at the top of the Group E table squared off in Salvador today. Switzerland and France played to a draw in the group stage of Germany 2006. Karim Benzema shook himself free in the Swiss half circle, but he shot curled wide of the far post. Swiss centerback Steve von Bergen had his face bloodied by the boot of French forward Olivier Giroud and was forced off the pitch before ten minutes had elapsed. Swiss defender Johan Djourou was forced to the floor to break up a ball played into the box, giving France a corner instead of an attempted tap-in. From the resulting corner kick, Mathieu Valbuena delivered an outswinger to Giroud, who rose above Valon Behrami from a good twelve yards out to power the header on frame. Switzerland goalkeeper Diego Benaglio could only get a desperate fingertip to the ball, and it was not enough to keep the ball from entering the goal to put France ahead 1-0. On the ensuing kickoff, Benzema stole a pass from Behrami and then drove up the pitch. He passed to his left and Blaise Matuidi provided the finish at the near post to give France a second goal within a minute. Switzerland caused a turnover in the midfield ten minutes on, and Admir Mehmedi drove up the middle of the park, shooting from distance. France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris got down quickly to parry to the side, but Xherdan Shaqiri immediately chipped a pass to the far post, just out of reach for Haris Seferovic, letting France off the hook. Just when it looked as though Switzerland may have been working their way back into the match, he referee awarded an extremely soft penalty to France when Djourou mad minimal contact with Benzema. Benaglio made the save off Benzema's spot kick and then Yohan Cabaye banged his follow-up off the crossbar with the entire goal at his mercy. By now, France had already decided simply to sit back and force Switzerland to come at them. Switzerland obliged, but they were caught with two many men in attack on a corner kick. Raphael Varane hit a booming rolled clearance from his own half to spring a two-versus-two. Giroud ran down the left and played a perfect ball toward the back post which Valbuena popped up into the roof of the net. Valbuena nearly inside-outed a ball for the fourth goal, but his audacious one-timed sot was pushed away by Benaglio. France led by a score of 3-0 at halftime.

In spite of their large lead, France continued to press for more goals. Valbuena worked to lay a ball off for Benzema a quarter hour after the restart, but Djourou was able to block the ball over the goal. Seven minutes on, Benzema was able to get a goal of his own. Paul Pogba swung his right leg inside-out to chip a ball past the leg of Swiss defender Philippe Senderos. Benzema was on the end of the pass, and then he nutmegged Benaglio for 4-0. Barely more than five minutes had elapsed before a fifth different French player scored a goal. Benzema slotted a ball across the eighteen-yard box to the uncovered run of Moussa Sissoko (pictured, white), who passed the ball to the far post to make it 5-0, scoring his first international goal in the process. Benaglio had to pull off a save from Valbuena, who had just received a pass from Sissoko. Moments later, he pulled a double save against Matuidi and Benzema. With ten minutes to go, Blerim Dzemaili scored of an excuse-me free kick. He scooted a ball thirty yards along the floor that miraculously went through the gap between two French players' legs in the wall and then rolled mockingly into the French goal to restore some pride to the Swiss. Shaqiri had a decent effort off a turn-and-shoot maneuver, but Lloris was able to parry off the bounce. One minute later, Switzerland scored a beautiful goal. Gokhan Inler chipped a pass thirty yards o the run of Granit Xhaka thirteen yards from goal. In one motion, Xhaka turned to watch the flight of the ball and executed a perfect volley on the run. Cabaye picked up a yellow card soon thereafter, causing him to be suspended for France's next match. France had a five-goal advantage at one point in the match, but they settle for  5-2 victory that all but assures them passage into the knockout stage of Brasil 2014.

France 6 pts +6
Switzerland 3 pts -2
Ecuador 0 pts -1
Honduras 0 pts -3

Goals
France
Olivier Giroud 17
Blaise Matuidi 18
Mathieu Valbuena 40
Karim Benzema 67
Moussa Sissoko 73

Switzerland
Blerim Dzemaili 81
Granit Xhaka 87

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