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| World Cup 2014: France Routs Honduras | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — It was a rocky start to the World Cup in Porto Alegre. | PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — It was a rocky start to the World Cup in Porto Alegre. |
| After France and Honduras arrived on the field for the opening match in this southern Brazilian city, they had to make do without hearing their national anthems. | After France and Honduras arrived on the field for the opening match in this southern Brazilian city, they had to make do without hearing their national anthems. |
| The sound system in the newly renovated Beira-Rio stadium was not working properly, but the French, who had plenty of glitches of their own at the last World Cup in South Africa, did eventually get to hear “La Marseillaise” on several occasions. | The sound system in the newly renovated Beira-Rio stadium was not working properly, but the French, who had plenty of glitches of their own at the last World Cup in South Africa, did eventually get to hear “La Marseillaise” on several occasions. |
| Their small bloc of fans high in the stands sang it for them before the match, during the match and — here comes the particularly revealing part — after the match, as they celebrated a 3-0 victory over Honduras together. | Their small bloc of fans high in the stands sang it for them before the match, during the match and — here comes the particularly revealing part — after the match, as they celebrated a 3-0 victory over Honduras together. |
| There was precious little communing with the French public in 2010 as the French team scored one goal in three games, alienating its compatriots along the way as the players feuded with Raymond Domenech, their coach, and among themselves; staged a training boycott; showed disdain to the French news media and failed to qualify for the second round. | There was precious little communing with the French public in 2010 as the French team scored one goal in three games, alienating its compatriots along the way as the players feuded with Raymond Domenech, their coach, and among themselves; staged a training boycott; showed disdain to the French news media and failed to qualify for the second round. |
| Domenech was relieved of his duties and when the new manager, Laurent Blanc, took over, he made it a symbolic point not to select any of the 23 players from the 2010 World Cup team for France’s next friendly match. | Domenech was relieved of his duties and when the new manager, Laurent Blanc, took over, he made it a symbolic point not to select any of the 23 players from the 2010 World Cup team for France’s next friendly match. |
| Neither the players, the current manager, Didier Deschamps, nor the French public have forgotten what happened in South Africa. | Neither the players, the current manager, Didier Deschamps, nor the French public have forgotten what happened in South Africa. |
| “Irrespective of what happened in 2010, any team wants to play well and have a great World Cup,” midfielder Mathieu Valbuena said Sunday night. “But it’s certainly even more the case for us. It’s true that we disappointed an enormous number of people. It was bad in 2010, but for us it’s the past. And today we have a group that is very sure of its strengths and which is doing well and living well together. I think everyone is pulling in the same direction, whether it’s the substitutes or the ones on the field. That’s the most important thing.” | “Irrespective of what happened in 2010, any team wants to play well and have a great World Cup,” midfielder Mathieu Valbuena said Sunday night. “But it’s certainly even more the case for us. It’s true that we disappointed an enormous number of people. It was bad in 2010, but for us it’s the past. And today we have a group that is very sure of its strengths and which is doing well and living well together. I think everyone is pulling in the same direction, whether it’s the substitutes or the ones on the field. That’s the most important thing.” |
| Valbuena is one of only five holdovers from the 2010 team, three of whom were in the starting lineup Sunday: Valbuena, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and most surprisingly left back Patrice Evra, the captain of the 2010 French team who was once suspended for his role in the team’s strike. | Valbuena is one of only five holdovers from the 2010 team, three of whom were in the starting lineup Sunday: Valbuena, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and most surprisingly left back Patrice Evra, the captain of the 2010 French team who was once suspended for his role in the team’s strike. |
| Outside the stadium in Porto Alegre, the French fans were wary, and it showed. During an hour of observation by the front gates, the only names of French players spotted on the backs of jerseys were Zidane (Zinedine Zidane), Thuram (Lilian Thuram), Henry (Thierry Henry) and Vieira (Patrick Vieira). | Outside the stadium in Porto Alegre, the French fans were wary, and it showed. During an hour of observation by the front gates, the only names of French players spotted on the backs of jerseys were Zidane (Zinedine Zidane), Thuram (Lilian Thuram), Henry (Thierry Henry) and Vieira (Patrick Vieira). |
| Those were all members of the team that won the World Cup in France in 1998 and all are now retired from the French national team. | Those were all members of the team that won the World Cup in France in 1998 and all are now retired from the French national team. |
| “What happened in 2010 was shameful,” said Loick Petitpere, a 29-year-old French fan who made the trip to Brazil and was wearing a Zidane jersey. “These players have a fabulous job. All they have to do is play football and kick a ball around, and then they strike. Shameful. But we came anyway. We are loyal despite all of that, but we are certainly not going to predict whether they’ll win or lose, play well or not.” | “What happened in 2010 was shameful,” said Loick Petitpere, a 29-year-old French fan who made the trip to Brazil and was wearing a Zidane jersey. “These players have a fabulous job. All they have to do is play football and kick a ball around, and then they strike. Shameful. But we came anyway. We are loyal despite all of that, but we are certainly not going to predict whether they’ll win or lose, play well or not.” |
| National celebrations will wait. Thrashing Honduras, one of the weakest sides in this World Cup, was no great feat particularly when the Hondurans had to play with 10 men for the entire second half after midfielder Wilson Palacios was sent off with a second yellow card for a push from behind on Paul Pogba that led to the French penalty kick. | National celebrations will wait. Thrashing Honduras, one of the weakest sides in this World Cup, was no great feat particularly when the Hondurans had to play with 10 men for the entire second half after midfielder Wilson Palacios was sent off with a second yellow card for a push from behind on Paul Pogba that led to the French penalty kick. |
| Nonetheless, the French were clearly the stronger, more creative side and in light of Sunday’s collective performance, a run on Karim Benzema jerseys could be imminent. | Nonetheless, the French were clearly the stronger, more creative side and in light of Sunday’s collective performance, a run on Karim Benzema jerseys could be imminent. |
| Benzema, the French striker who plays up front for Real Madrid, scored the first goal on a penalty kick in the 45th minute and scored the third on a powerful right-footed blast from close range in the 72nd minute. He also took the shot in the 48th minute that led to the second goal. | Benzema, the French striker who plays up front for Real Madrid, scored the first goal on a penalty kick in the 45th minute and scored the third on a powerful right-footed blast from close range in the 72nd minute. He also took the shot in the 48th minute that led to the second goal. |
| After a great cross from the right from Yohan Cabaye, Benzema one-timed the ball with his left foot, striking the far post. The ball then rebounded back along the goal line where Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares struggled to control it with his left hand. | After a great cross from the right from Yohan Cabaye, Benzema one-timed the ball with his left foot, striking the far post. The ball then rebounded back along the goal line where Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares struggled to control it with his left hand. |
| Sandro Ricci, the Brazilian referee, signaled that it was a goal. Benzema began celebrating, but the sequence would soon be reviewed with the newly approved goal-line technology system. | Sandro Ricci, the Brazilian referee, signaled that it was a goal. Benzema began celebrating, but the sequence would soon be reviewed with the newly approved goal-line technology system. |
| Though the first replay displayed on the stadium screens flashed “no goal” and showed that the ball had not crossed the goal line completely after the rebound off the post, the second replay did show that the ball had crossed the line after Valladares touched it. | Though the first replay displayed on the stadium screens flashed “no goal” and showed that the ball had not crossed the goal line completely after the rebound off the post, the second replay did show that the ball had crossed the line after Valladares touched it. |
| It was ruled an own goal. | It was ruled an own goal. |
| “If the technology sends a clear message, I don’t understand how this system can say there’s no goal first and then say there is a goal,” said Luis Suarez, the Honduras coach. “How do I know what is the truth?” | “If the technology sends a clear message, I don’t understand how this system can say there’s no goal first and then say there is a goal,” said Luis Suarez, the Honduras coach. “How do I know what is the truth?” |
| It was that kind of day in Porto Alegre: no anthems despite years of planning; no absolute goal-line clarity despite years of planning. But at least the French look to be off to a good start, and in just one match, they have already tripled their goal total from 2010. | It was that kind of day in Porto Alegre: no anthems despite years of planning; no absolute goal-line clarity despite years of planning. But at least the French look to be off to a good start, and in just one match, they have already tripled their goal total from 2010. |