Five-goal France cruise into play-offs
Saturday 10 October 2009
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France confirmed a second-placed finish in FIFA World Cup qualifying Group 7 with a game to spare after a comfortable 5-0 victory over bottom side Faroe Islands in Guingamp.
Austria quelled
Raymond Domenech's charges cannot catch section winners Serbia, following their 5-0 rout against Romania, but maintained their four-point advantage on Austria to make their final qualifier at home against the third-place side little more than a contest for pride. André-Pierre Gignac showed the way with his first double for Les Bleus while William Gallas, Nicolas Anelka and Karim Benzema also found the target.
Gignac opener
Shorn of Yoann Gourcuff and Franck Ribéry, France still peppered the visiting goal and following a strike against the post from Jérémy Toulalan and a Sidney Govou effort against the bar, Gignac turned to fire in the opener on 34 minutes. His second arrived soon after as the Toulouse FC striker curled his finish into the bottom corner of Jákup Mikkelsen's net.
Goal flurry
Les Bleus maintained their pace after the restart and managed to score three goals in a competitive game for the first time since their 6-0 win in Torshavn in UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying on 13 October 2007 when Thierry Henry's cross was converted by Gallas. Anelka and substitute Benzema added further gloss in the final four minutes as the visitors wilted.
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