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Benzema Scores As France hammer Holland

 

Karim Benzema and Blaise Matuidi were on target as France claimed a 2-0 friendly victory over Holland at the Stade de France in Paris.

Real Madrid striker Benzema put the home side ahead just after the half-hour mark with Matuidi adding a second less than 10 minutes later as players from both teams had a last chance to impress their respective managers ahead of this summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil.

Both nations looked strong in the first half, but as the match wore on and substitutions were a plenty, things got a lot slower in the latter part of the match.

And there was some bad news for Holland as they lost 30-year-old midfielder Stijn Schaars to injury five minutes before the break.

The home side started well and Patrice Evra came close to opening the scoring after just three minutes but his effort from the left of the penalty box was comfortably caught by Holland goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.

Antoine Griezmann was the next France player to have a go and almost put his side ahead before his header from 12 yards out sailed over the crossbar.

The visitors had a chance of their own minutes later but France captain Hugo Lloris kept out Wesley Sneijder’s outswinging corner in what was their first real effort on target.

Benzema put France ahead just after half time as he collected Paul Pogba’s cross from the left and made no mistake as he fired the ball into the back of the net from the right of the penalty area to make it 1-0.

France doubled their lead when Mathieu Valbuena found Matuidi in the penalty box and the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder made his opportunity count as he volleyed the ball home into the top left corner.