France flourish with Balde brilliance

By David Farrelly at The Showgrounds

France booked their place in the final of the 2005 UEFA European Under-19 Championship against England following a 3-2 victory against Germany in Ballymena. The French had the vast majority of goalscoring chances and might have won more comfortably, but two lapses of concentration at the end of either half were punished by a spirited German side.

Balde double
Two goals from Abdoulaye Balde ultimately provided the basis of the victory, but France failed to finish off a depleted German side that included only one outfield player on their substitutes' bench due to a combination of injuries and suspensions.

French pressure
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Germany approached the match more cautiously, but conceded both possession and goalscoring chances during the first 20 minutes. Didier Digard dispossessed Florian Müller in midfield and held off two German defenders to shoot low past Manuel Neuer's left-hand post from ten metres 12 minutes in, before Vassiriki Diaby shot wide from the corner of the penalty area.

Flowing move
Germany gradually showed more attacking verve as the game developed and a move from midfield involving Stephan Schröck and Kevin-Prince Boateng resulted in Ashkan Dejagah forcing Hugo Lloris to dive low to his right to turn the ball around the post after 23 minutes.

Balde breakthrough
However, France deservedly took the lead moments later. Florian Marange's cross from the left was headed back towards the penalty spot by Yohan Gourcuff for the waiting Balde to turn and fire in from ten metres past Manuel Neuer, his second goal of the tournament. Diaby came close to extending the lead in the 40th minute when Franck Dja Djedje found Gourcuff to cross, but the tall midfield player failed to direct his close-range header at the target.

Epstein equaliser
It proved to be a miss that France were made to regret as Germany got back into the match a minute later when Denis Epstein levelled from nine metres. Müller's persistence on the left was rewarded, the midfield player crossing to the far post and, from Schröck's knock-back, Epstein to hit the ball into the ground and past Lloris.

France on top
France mustered an immediate response, but Neuer was equal to Dja Djedje's shot, parrying the ball behind with a reflex save to his left. They came close to regaining the lead again shortly after the interval, Yohan Cabaye volleying off the crossbar from 22 metres following Gourcuff's corner. But their reward came after 58 minutes when possession broke to Gourcuff midway inside the German half. The Stade Rennais FC midfield player found Balde, who slotted beyond Neuer's outstretched leg from ten metres.

Cabaye conversion
The win was seemingly secured six minutes later when Diaby picked up a loose pass in midfield to run almost unhindered into the penalty area. The AJ Auxerre midfield player collided with Neuer only for the ball to break as far as the advancing Cabaye, who made no mistake from ten metres.

Late scare
Kevin-Prince Boateng gave Germany some late hope as he deflected in Eugen Polanski's free-kick with four minutes remaining, but France held on for the win, and a place in Friday's final.