France avoided a repeat of their UEFA EURO 2012 qualification opener and maintained their perfect start to 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification by defeating Belarus 3-1 in Paris.

Les Bleus largely dominated a side who had won at the Stade de France in September 2010 but now have two losses to their name already after their opening defeat by Georgia. Etienne Capoue (49) and Christophe Jallet (68) put Didier Deschamps' side in a commanding position, before Anton Putilo (72) tucked in the loose ball following Sergei Kornilenko's saved penalty to pull one back. Franck Ribéry (80) settled matters, though, with a sumptuous finish.

A lively France could have scored twice inside 13 minutes, with Mamadou Sakho and Olivier Giroud seeing golden headed chances saved by Sergei Veremko. Yohan Cabaye then stabbed wide before Sakho sent another free header at Veremko.

Belarus were vibrant after the restart, and Hugo Lloris had to stand strong to deny Stanislav Dragun. Sparked into life, though, Les Bleus exploited the gaps left by the over-committed visitors to take the lead, Ribéry bursting into the box and pulling back for Capoue to stroke in via Veremko's fingertips. Jallet freakishly found France's second 19 minutes later, the full-back's attempted cross instead swinging towards goal and crashing in off the crossbar.

Moments later Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa's mistimed challenge undermined France's position, offering the visitors a chance to halve the defecit from the spot. Lloris kept out Kornilenko, but Putilo was on hand for the rebound. Any home nerves were settled 10 minutes from time, however, as Ribéry clipped in a third after Karim Benzema had neatly slipped him in.