France Roumanie : 2-0

Football : France is Back on Victory Trail at the Stade de France

By Matthieu Boisseau
11/10/2010

Last Saturday, playing at home at the Stade de France, the French Football Team won for the second time running against Romania (2-0). In a wholly unexpected turn of events, Laurent Blanc's squad is now top of Group D of the Euro 2012 qualifiers.

The pressure was on for "Les Bleus" as they prepared to play in front of the boo-addict crowd of the Stade de France: they desperately needed to prove that the squad had been made-over for the better after their disastrous 2010 World Cup.

Well, consider it (almost) done, as the French style of play was not only promising, but was equally efficient. Where the midfielders' brilliant performances were concerned, it is fair to say that the yound players succesfully took control of the team- particularly Arsenal's Samir Nasri. More grounds for satisfaction was to be found in substitutes Rémy and Gourcuff's winning entrances, as both of them scored towards the final stages of the match (83rd and 90th minutes).

So, has the French team turned over a new leaf? Tomorrow's match against Luxemburg will determine whether Friday's result was down to luck, or whether Laurent Blanc's gamble with his new younger team has really paid off...