It was a beautiful sunny day; the Stade de France was almost full of impatient supporters, their colors flying high. The perfect  night for the last home game of France’s national team, season. Yes but …

Belgium ‘s “Red Devils” weren’t in Paris for fun; they meant business, from the first minute of the game. Was it that their last victory on a friendly game in Paris, was way back in 1947? Nevertheless, France found very early that the game was all but “friendly” and began to understand  that they will have many difficulties to reach the high level imposed by the Belgians.

Manchester’s United Marouane Fellaini was brilliant and even if his first goal was off-side, the second one put an end to French supporters songs. Some of them began moaning about the absentees Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra (they played in Champions League Final) Karim  Benzema(injury) Kondogbia (he stayed at home, waiting for his baby’s birth), Bacary Sagna’s and Yohan Cabaye’s lack of playing time with their clubs,  Olivier Giroud’s clumsiness in front of the goal, Didier Deschamps coaching and so on .

Did Deschamps put the wrong team on the pitch ? The French  team failed on all lines, conceding for the first time 4 goals at their fetish ground  of Paris and three(+a lesson in Football) against Brazil. Seven goals  at home in only two games, that’s enough to begin some hard thinking, for Euro 2016 is coming fast; next year, this time we will be in the Stadiums or in front of the TV celebrating or moaning; what will it be for The Bleus ? A bit of sunshine though; some youngsters showed good promise( Ntep, Fékir, Lacazette).

France’s skipper Hugo Lloris, admitted that much, in the after the game press conference:”We shouldn’t accept this kind of defeat,he said.We should have done better than that. The first goal was largely off-side and they scored the second  one just before the end of the first half. That made things difficult for us. To stay positive,  in the second half, we showed a better side of our game, scoring 3 times. The youngsters showed some good things too. There’s another game to play(vs Albania, Away) we must stay focused.”

Player’s Ratings

Lloris: 5  Sagna 3,5  Varane 4  Koschielny 4  Tremoulinas  3,5  Cabaye 3  Sissoko  4  Mathuidi  4,5  Valbuena 4,5   Griezmann 3,5  Giroud  2,5

GOALS : Valbuena (53rd) Fékir (89th) Payet (90th)

Belgium “Red Devils” came in Paris looking for a good sparing partner, before their crucial encounter vs Wales and their world-class player, Gareth Bale. They showed their opponents why they are second in FIFA and why France are 9th.

The Belgians came at the Stade de France, without two of their key players, Kompany and De Bruyne. Everyone’s  eyes were on Eden Hazard, but even if he had a good game, it was his teammate Nainggolan who kept the spectators attention. Roma’s midfielder was brilliant: a goal and an assist, not a bad evening for the youngster.

PLAYERS  RATINGS /

Courtois 5,5  Vertonghen 5  Denayer  6,5   Lombaerts 6  Alderweireld  6,5  Nainggolan 8  Witsel  7  Fellaini  7  Hazard 7  Mertens 6  Benteke 6

GOALS :  Fellaini (17th 42nd)  Nainggolan  Hazard (pen. 54th)

Categories: opinion, Review

Tags: Belgium Red Devils, Equipe de France, Euro 2016 Friendies