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Albania national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Nov 17, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
France national football team

0-2

FT(HT: 0-2)
Tolisso (9'), Griezmann (30')

Antoine Griezmann helps secure top spot for France

Antoine Griezmann helps secure top spot for France
© Reuters
The Barcelona forward and Corentin Tolisso netted in a comfortable win.

Antoine Griezmann scored one and created another as France secured top spot in their Euro 2020 qualifying group with a 2-0 win in Albania.

The Barcelona forward set up the opener for Corentin Tolisso after eight minutes and followed up with the second just after the half-hour in Albania's first match at the new Arena Kombetare.

It was the perfect way for the world champions to celebrate Didier Deschamps' 100th match as manager of France, who were already qualified, and ensured they finished two points ahead of Turkey in Group H.

Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud, named in the side with Kylian Mbappe out through illness, hit the woodwork in the second half of a dominant display.

France got off to a superb start as Tolisso met Griezmann's cross from the left with a superb header at the near post.

Griezmann was at the heart of most of France's good play and he doubled the lead in the 31st minute.

A deep cross from Presnel Kimpembe had Albania back-pedalling and Leo Dubois cut across the area. He did get a lucky deflection off Frederic Veseli – who was once on the books of Manchester City and United – but his pull-back was clinically tucked away by Griezmann.

Griezmann almost created a third before the break from a corner but Clement Lenglet headed over unmarked from seven yards.

Albania threatened early in the second half as Elseid Hysaj slid in to shoot wide and Rei Manaj had an effort blocked by Lenglet.

But France retained control and Giroud held off a defender to force a save from goalkeeper Etrit Berisha.

Giroud tested Berisha again with a fierce shot from a tight angle and was then unlucky when he rattled the woodwork after 72 minutes.

Albania had another couple of opportunities through Hysaj and Keidi Bare in the latter stages but France were not to be denied.

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France coach Didier Deschamps on September 7, 2019
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Cyprus Cyprus00000
2 Georgia Georgia00000
3 Norway Norway00000
Q Scotland flag Scotland00000
Q Spain Spain00000

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France00000
2 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar00000
3 Greece Greece00000
Q Netherlands Netherlands00000
5 Ireland Rep. Ireland00000

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England00000
Q Italy Italy00000
3 Malta flag Malta00000
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia00000
5 Ukraine Ukraine00000

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Armenia Armenia00000
Q Croatia Croatia00000
3 Latvia Latvia00000
Q Turkey Turkey00000
5 Wales flag Wales00000

Group E

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Q Albania national flag Albania00000
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic00000
3 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands00000
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova00000
5 Poland Poland00000

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Austria Austria00000
2 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan00000
Q Belgium Belgium00000
4 Estonia Estonia00000
5 Sweden Sweden00000

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bulgaria Bulgaria00000
Q Hungary Hungary00000
3 Lithuania Lithuania00000
4 Montenegro Montenegro00000
Q Serbia Serbia00000

Group H

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Q Denmark Denmark00000
2 Finland Finland00000
3 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan00000
4 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland00000
5 San Marino flag San Marino00000
Q Slovenia Slovenia00000

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Andorra flag Andorra00000
2 Belarus Belarus00000
3 Israel Israel00000
4 Kosovo flag Kosovo00000
Q Romania Romania00000
Q Switzerland Switzerland00000

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina00000
2 Iceland Iceland00000
3 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein00000
4 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg00000
Q Portugal Portugal00000
Q Slovakia Slovakia00000


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