France wiped the floor with Finland at the Stade de France on Tuesday, but unfortunately for the home side, it meant absolutely nothing. Spain's win over Georgia clinched first place in the group for the defending world champions and relegated Les Bleus to the playoff.
France vs. Finland: Final score 3-0, Les Bleus win, but still playoff-bound
Karim Benzema finally scored, but it didn’t matter for a France team that is playoff-bound.
Julian Finney
Franck Ribery put France in front after just eight minutes with a spectacular goal from distance. He cut in from the left and from more than 20 yards, hit a blistering shot that found the upper corner.
When Ribery scored, Spain were still scoreless with Georgia and France had some hope, but it wouldn’t last long. Spain scored, then they added another, essentially wrapping up a victory and left France to play for nothing more than pride.
France did well playing for pride, keeping the pressure on Finland even if it didn't pay off until the 76th minute. That's when Joona Toivo put the ball in his own net to wrap up France's win, but they would add another anyways. Karim Benzema scored one more to cap off the win and, more importantly, get him back on track for the national team after months of frustration and no goals.
Unfortunately for France, they will not be a seeded team for the playoff, meaning they will have a tough opponent in next month’s two-legged tie.
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