Gallas earns France a draw in Tunisia
Sunday, May 30, 2010
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Tunisia 1-1 France
William Gallas headed a second-half equaliser as France were tested in their penultimate friendly before the FIFA World Cup.
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Tunisia 1-1 France
William Gallas headed the equaliser as France drew 1-1 away to Tunisia in their penultimate friendly before the FIFA World Cup.
With the exception of returning No1 Hugo Lloris – Steve Mandanda making way – France started with the same XI in Rades that had defeated Costa Rica 2-1 in Lens on Wednesday. As in midweek, Les Bleus also fell behind early on as RC Lens striker Issam Jemâa tapped in a fifth-minute cross from another France-based player, Valenciennes FC's Fahid Ben Khalfallah.
Hoping to change things, Raymond Domenech made seven changes in the second half, including an international debut for FC Girondins de Bordeaux centre-back Marc Planus at 28 years of age. The visitors then drew level on 62 minutes as a free-kick from another Bordeaux player, Yoann Gourcuff, found Gallas who headed past Lens custodian Hamdi Kasraoui in the Tunisia net.
France conclude their preparations against China in Reunion Island on 4 June, a week before tackling Uruguay in their World Cup opener in Cape Town.
