France ease to victory against Norway

Olivier Giroud scored twice in Paris as France stretched their winning run to three games with victory in their first FIFA World Cup warm-up match.

Trailing to Paul Pogba's 15th-minute opener, Per-Mathias Høgmo's side crumbled after the break against a team inspired by Mathieu Valbuena, who set up three of the four goals, including both of Giroud's. Loïc Rémy had made it 3-0 to Les Bleus midway through the second half.

With UEFA Champions League winners Karim Benzema and Raphaël Varane having not yet linked up with the squad, Didier Deschamps paired Laurent Koscielny with first-time skipper Mamadou Sakho in defence and gave Giroud a start up front. It was the Arsenal FC forward who was first to threaten, forcing Ørjan Nyland to tip over his powerful header with only a minute gone.

The Molde FK goalkeeper could do nothing, however, when Valbuena's inswinging cross was met by the head of Juventus midfielder Pogba after a quarter of an hour. In contrast, France reserve keeper Stéphane Ruffier, winning his second cap, had enjoyed a quiet time of it until he was tested by former Stade Rennais FC midfielder Alexander Tettey.

Six minutes into the second period, Valbuena supplied Giroud, whose left-footed volley from the edge of the penalty box flew under Nyland's crossbar. France continued to look menacing and nine minutes after replacing Antoine Griezmann, Rémy made no mistake when latching on to Mathieu Debuchy's through ball.

Valbuena, moments before he was replaced by Clément Grenier, set up Giroud to make it four with a close-range header 20 minutes from time. France, who gave a first cap to Rémy Cabella, have further home friendlies against Paraguay (1 June, Nice) and Jamaica (8 June, Lille) before flying to Brazil, where they play Honduras, Switzerland and Ecuador in Group E.