Le Bleus focusing on Sweden not math
Source: Agencies |
June 17, 2012, Sunday
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Print Edition
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FRANCE could reach the Euro 2012 quarterfinals even if it loses its last Group D match against already eliminated Sweden on Tuesday but manager Laurent Blanc is not leaving anything to chance.
The only way France can fail to progress is if it loses to the Swedes, Ukraine beats England and the French end up with a worse goal difference than the old rivals English. That scenario, though, is not one Blanc has spent much time considering.
"We will respect the Swedish team even if they have already been put out because it is always difficult to play against them and we will prepare to win it - we won't be thinking about the mathematical consequences," Blanc said yesterday.
His France side was impressive in its opening 1-1 draw against England and Friday's 2-0 win over Ukraine in Donetsk. Those results have left the French top of the group ahead of England on four points, Ukraine three and Sweden none.
During the win over the co-host France almost literally soaked up everything thrown at it in the Donbass Arena, which was more than just the pressure Oleg Blokhin's Ukraine put it under in the first half.
A massive lightning storm caused the match to be stopped for almost an hour shortly after it began, but when it did restart, it was the French that coped the better with the conditions and were the deserved winners thanks to two goals in three minutes from Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye early in the second half.
Blanc, who has consistently played down France's chances of becoming European champions for the third time after their triumphs of 1984 and 2000, said he allowed himself a beer - and the players a Coke - to celebrate Friday's win.
But he added that he was not underestimating the Swedes.
The only way France can fail to progress is if it loses to the Swedes, Ukraine beats England and the French end up with a worse goal difference than the old rivals English. That scenario, though, is not one Blanc has spent much time considering.
"We will respect the Swedish team even if they have already been put out because it is always difficult to play against them and we will prepare to win it - we won't be thinking about the mathematical consequences," Blanc said yesterday.
His France side was impressive in its opening 1-1 draw against England and Friday's 2-0 win over Ukraine in Donetsk. Those results have left the French top of the group ahead of England on four points, Ukraine three and Sweden none.
During the win over the co-host France almost literally soaked up everything thrown at it in the Donbass Arena, which was more than just the pressure Oleg Blokhin's Ukraine put it under in the first half.
A massive lightning storm caused the match to be stopped for almost an hour shortly after it began, but when it did restart, it was the French that coped the better with the conditions and were the deserved winners thanks to two goals in three minutes from Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye early in the second half.
Blanc, who has consistently played down France's chances of becoming European champions for the third time after their triumphs of 1984 and 2000, said he allowed himself a beer - and the players a Coke - to celebrate Friday's win.
But he added that he was not underestimating the Swedes.
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