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France win against world champions Germany

France 2-0 Germany
Olivier Giroud and André-Pierre Gignac scored in either half as the UEFA EURO 2016 hosts overcame the world champions in Paris.

Germany forward Thomas Müller and France midfielder Paul Pogba vie for possession
Germany forward Thomas Müller and France midfielder Paul Pogba vie for possession ©AFP
  • UEFA EURO 2016 hosts France edge world champions Germany 2-0 in Paris
  • Germany left-back Jonas Hector withdrawn early with knock
  • Olivier Giroud taps in on stroke of half-time
  • Leroy Sané makes debut for Germany; Kingsley Coman wins first France cap
  • Substitute André-Pierre Gignac heads in France's second on 86 minutes

France continued their preparations for UEFA EURO 2016 with a win against world champions Germany as Olivier Giroud and substitute André-Pierre Gignac earned a 2-0 scoreline at Saint-Denis.

Automatically qualified for next summer's finals as hosts, Les Bleus were hoping to gauge their quality against the side that knocked them out in the last FIFA World Cup quarter-finals. What they got was a tight affair in which they withstood a brief period of pressure and took their opportunities.

Paul Pogba provided the early impetus as France looked to get going, but Germany's trio of centre-backs were frustrating the home team. From that platform, Joachim Löw's men began to create openings, though not before Jonas Hector limped off with a knock. Emre Can came on at left-back and, shortly after, Thomas Müller drove narrowly over.

Restored to the Germany lineup, Mario Gomez then tried his luck, finding the side netting with one effort yet also missing altogether from just in front of goal. Instead, it was France who took the lead, Giroud turning in from Anthony Martial's cutback after the Manchester United forward had surged thrillingly past Antonio Rüdiger and Matthias Ginter.

Didier Deschamps' side made encouraging forays after the break too, with Giroud heading off target and Pogba forcing Manuel Neuer to tip over from distance. The second half also brought debuts for Germany's Leroy Sané and France's Kingsley Coman – plus a long-awaited return for Hatem Ben Arfa – but the scoring was not over yet, as Gignac nodded in from a Blaise Matuidi cross after Müller had rattled the post for Germany.

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