France seal play-offs passage
Tuesday, September 5, 2006
Article summary
France 2-0 Slovenia Second-half goals by Yoann Gourcuff and Florent Sinama-Pongolle mean France have every chance of again reaching the Under-21 finals.
Article body
Top finish
Réné Girard's side finished top of Group 14 thanks to second half goals by substitute Yoann Gourcuff and Florent Sinama-Pongolle after a brave Slovenian team battled hard for a shock result but to no avail. France, who only needed a draw to reach the play-offs, were dominant but Branko Zupan's side kept it tight at the back.
Breakthrough comes
Slovenia held France at bay for 65 minutes, relying on the counterattack to frustrate France, but an overhead pass by Chelsea FC's Lassana Diarra found Albin Ebondo on the right and his cross proved perfect for Gourcuff as the AC Milan starlet broke the deadlock. Slovenia captain Dalibor Stevanović went close for the visitors but Gourcuff helped end any comeback hopes by supplying RC Recreativo de Huelva striker Sinama-Pongolle with the second.