Thierry Henry set a French scoring record by getting two goals
in two minutes late in the second-half Wednesday and leading France
to a 2-0 win over Lithuania in a European Championship
qualifier.
France's Thierry Henri (C,
front), celebrates with his team mates Hatem Ben Arfa(L), and
Franck Ribery after scoring against Lithuania during the Euro 2008
Group B qualifying soccer match in Nantes on Wednesday.
Henry scored in the 79th and 80th minutes to break Lithuania's
packed defense and send Les Bleus to the top of Group B. Henry has
43 goals for France, two more than Michel Platini.
France leads Group B with 25 points, one more than Scotland,
which lost at Georgia 2-0. Italy, which was idle, is third with 23
points and hosts Scotland on Nov. 17. France plays at Ukraine four
days later.
"The standings mean nothing," France coach Raymond Domenech
said. "There is a decisive match to be played between Scotland and
Italy, and after that we will go and play in Ukraine. We know what
our objective is and what we have to do."
France hit the crossbar twice in the first-half and wasted
chances before Henry ran onto a ball inside the penalty area and
shot past goalkeeper Zydrunas Karcemarskas. He then collected
Jeremy Toulalan's pass from midfield and finished coolly.
"Records are there to be broken and I am happy that it's while I
am the coach," Domenech said. "I was really happy for him."
Audrius Ksanavicius had Lithuania's best chance when he hit the
post in the 22nd.
Nicolas Anelka, who scored France's winning goal in a 1-0
victory at Lithuania, pulled out because of injury and was replaced
in attack by Karim Benzema. William Gallas returned to the center
of defense, his first appearance since injuring his groin playing
for Arsenal on August. 19.
Franck Ribery hit the crossbar in the first minute with a
powerful strike from 30 yards, and Florent Malouda did the same in
the 15th. In between, Benzema's shot was deflected wide.
But France was almost caught out when Ksanavicius dragged the
ball between Eric Abidal and Toulalan, turned and curled a shot
onto the post.
From Ribery's corner in the 22nd, goalkeeper Zydrunas
Karcemarskas blocked a header from Gallas with his legs when diving
the opposite way.
France continued to pressure, and Benzema dribbled past three
defenders but then hit a low shot past the post in the 38th. Henry
curled a free kick wide just before halftime, and hit a firm shot
over just after the interval.
Karcemarskas then saved low down from Benzema and Ribery, who
also went close in the 60th from outside the penalty area. A minute
later, Henry headed over Toulalan's cross from the right, and he
then shot too close to Karcemarskas in the 64th after collecting
Benzema's flick.
Hatem Ben Arfa missed the target from close range in the 75th
after Ribery had lobbed the ball over Karcemarskas.
(Shanghai Daily October 18, 2007)
