World Cup

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Attendance: 43,012

World Cup | Group Stage

Jun 15, 2014 at 8pm UK

France
3-0
Honduras Honduras

Benzema (45' pen., 72'), Valladares (48' og.)

FT(HT: 1-0)

Palacios (43')

France thrash Honduras thanks to Karim Benzema brace

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter

Published: June 15 2014 | 21:56

Last updated: June 16 2014 | 20:26

France thrash Honduras 3-0 in this evening's World Cup Group E clash in Porto Alegre.

France have thrashed Honduras 3-0 in this evening's World Cup Group E clash in Porto Alegre.

France's forward Karim Benzema after an own goal during a Group E football match between France and Honduras at the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 15, 2014 © Getty Images

After a scrappy opening few minutes, the 2006 World Cup finalists were first to threaten, Antoine Griezmann slicing his shot wide after some good work from Mathieu Debuchy and Karim Benzema.

Les Bleus continued to accrue free kicks and put pressure on their opponents, but any danger was successfully thwarted by the Honduran defence in the early stages.

France would step up a gear as the game went on, however, with Griezmann striking the crossbar in the 23rd minute with a powerful header.

France's midfielder Paul Pogba is tackled by Honduras' midfielder Wilson Palacios (R) during a Group E football match between France and Honduras at the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 15, 2014 © Getty Images

Controversy erupted midway through the first half when Wilson Palacios and Paul Pogba became involved in an altercation, with both lucky to escape with just bookings.

The two were to clash again as Palacios felled the young Frenchman in the box towards the end of the opening 45 minutes, prompting the referee to award Les Bleus a penalty and send the Honduran off.

Honduras' midfielder Wilson Palacios receives a red card from Brazilian referee Sandro Meira Ricci during a Group E football match between France and Honduras at the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 15, 2014 © Getty Images

Benzema proceeded to strike the penalty high to the keeper's right to put his side a goal up at the break.

France then doubled their lead in controversial circumstances right at the start of the second half when Benzema knocked the ball past Noel Valladares.

Honduras' goalkeeper and captain Noel Valladares handles the ball to score an own goal from a shot by France's Karim Benzema during a Group E football match between France and Honduras at the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre during the 2014 FIFA World Cu © Getty Images

The ball bounced off the post and was subsequently fumbled by the Honduran keeper, and after the referee consulted the goal-line technology video, the goal was awarded to Les Bleus, much to the chagrin of manager Luis Fernando Suarez.

Ten-man Honduras continued to struggle and ended up producing unorthodox tackles and foul play, but they couldn't stop the French tide of attacks, and the 1998 World Cup champions duly struck for a third time when Benzema scored with a fine finish into the roof of the net from the right side of the six-yard box.

France leapfrog Switzerland, who recorded a 2-1 win against Ecuador earlier today, to the top of Group E after the first round of fixtures.