France Earns Playoff Spot With Win Over Faeroes

France must win a playoff in order to reach next year's World Cup.

Andre-Pierre Gignac scored twice, and William Gallas, Nicolas Anelka and Karim Benzema added goals as Les Bleus romped over the Faeroe Islands 5-0 Saturday night.

France (5-1-3) will finish second in Group Seven with 18 points, four behind Serbia (7-1-1), which defeated Romania 5-0 Saturday to clinch first place and an automatic berth in the 32-nation field in South Africa next year.

"I'm not disappointed," France coach Raymond Domenech said. "I will be disappointed if we fail to qualify. Now, we have to go through a playoff. A tough task is awaiting us because our next opponent in the playoffs will be a difficult one, that's for sure."

Regularly booed at Stade de France, French players received a warm welcome from the 18,000 fans at the Stade de Roudourou, with thousands of national flags displayed in the stands. France scored five goals for the first time since a 6-0 win at Faeroes two years ago.

"We did what we had to do," Domenech said. "I saw a good team who created a lot of chances. Don't forget that this is the first time in this qualifying campaign that the Faeroes have lost by more than two goals."

Gignac, who scored in France's 1-0 win at the Faeroes in August, got the first goal in the 34th off a pass from Thierry Henry and doubled the score five minutes later.

Gallas made it 3-0 in the 53rd with a header at the far post from Henry's free kick. Anelka scored in the 86th, and Benzema sgot the final goal in the 88th.

Supporters and players observed a minute's silence before the game started in memory of Brice Taton, a French supporter who died in Belgrade last month after being beaten up.

Referee Robert Malek left the field with an injury late in the second half and was replaced by fourth official, Pawel Gil.

"Of course, we would have liked to qualify directly by winning the group" Benzema said. "We lost too many points with too many draws in the previous games. Two playoffs matches are awaiting us, and we will give it all."

SOURCE: The Associated Press
Samuel Petrequin

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