Switzerland 2, France 5: The French attack in waves to take hold of Group E

France played well enough this afternoon for a lesser writer to open this match report with a horribly cliched French phrase. Ce n'est pas moi.

The Swiss had no answer for France's multiple runs through the attacking third. It seemed as though the French had four extra players on the pitch whenever they advanced toward Switzerland's goal, and it probably felt like six additional attackers to the Swiss back line.

Considering that France missed a penalty, and had a goal taken away that was scored as the final whistle blew, the 5-2 final scoreline is probably merciful to their opponents today.

The Goals

GOAL! Olivier Giroud (FRA), 17 min. A lovely corner from Mathieu Valbuena gets headed in by the high-rising Giroud. Swiss ‘keeper Diego Benaglio gets a hand to it, but only to knock it past Ricardo Rodriguez’s attempt to stop it.

GOAL! Blaise Matuidi (FRA), 18 min. Less than half a minute after the opener is scored, Karim Benzema sends a perfect through ball onto Matuidi, who plops it just past an outstretched Benaglio for a 2-0 lead.

GOAL! Mathieu Valbuena (FRA), 40 min. Giroud races down the left side of the box, and places a slow roller to the far post which Valbuena meets before anyone else, putting it away with ease.

GOAL! Karim Benzema (FRA), 67 min. A long pass from Paul Pogba somehow goes straight through Philippe Senderos’s flailing legs, and onto Benzema’s run. The Real Madrid striker puts it between Benaglio’s legs to add insult to injury, and make it 4-0.

GOAL! Moussa Sissoko (FRA), 73 min. Gokham Inler loses possession, and plays right into the French counter, which moves up the pitch like incredibly quickly, leading Sissoko to fire a low finish at the back post. Yawn. In.

GOAL! Bllerim Dzemalli (SUI), 81 min. A 30-yard free-kick goes in when Benzema — in the middle of the wall — closes his eyes and lifts a leg to block what he imagined would be a thunderous drive. Instead the ball rolls under his foot and straight into the corner of the net past a helpless — and suddenly angered — Hugo Lloris.

GOAL! Granit Xhaka (SUI), 87 min. A lovely ball played in by Inler lands right in front of the oncoming Xhaka who blasts it across the mouth of the goal, and past Lloris.

*****

Man of the Match - Olivier Giroud

Giroud, who isn’t the fleetest of foot, has a pace that works well with the countering abilities of the rest of the French side. He’s able to hold up play in the center, run down a flank maintaining possession, and of course finish. Three great skills to have in a striker, but especially good for a French squad that comes into the attacking third in waves, constantly creating options for whichever one of its forward players has the ball at the time. Giroud was everything today: a holder, a giver and a receiver.

He also knows exactly where the camera is whenever a goal is scored.

The Controversy

There was absolutely nothing wrong with Bjorn Kuipers’s decision to award France a penalty after Johan Djourou fouled Benzema near the touch line on the left side. The controversy comes from Djourou’s decision to try a tackle in that location when any advantage Benzema would’ve received from advancing would’ve only put him at a worse angle from which to shoot.

Fortunately for Djourou, Benzema’s subsequent shot from the spot was saved by Bengalio in the first penalty of the tournament not to result in a goal.

How did France win?

Less than ten minutes into the match, Steve von Bergen caught Giroud’s boot in his face during an aerial challenge, and had to leave to receive treatment. That brought on Senderos, meaning that Switzerland’s two center backs were Djourou and Senderos.

It would be unfair to put blame for all of the goals on the single defensive unit, but it certainly didn’t help. France’s attack seem to come in waves. Whenever a Swiss defender cut off one channel for a French player in possession, a run from an advancing teammate would create another. It went like that for the entirety of the match, even in the second half, when France took a far more defensive approach.

Simply put, the Swiss looked overmatched.

The Takeaway

They haven’t guaranteed a trip to Round of 16 quite yet, but they can start preparing accommodations. It would take a miracle for the French not to go through, but mathematically, it’s possible. As long as Ecuador secures at least one point against Honduras tonight, France will go through.

Switzerland, despite the massive defeat, are still very much in the conversation to go through. They’ll finish the group stage against Honduras.

The 1,000 Words

Stray Thoughts

Salvador, where today’s match was played, also hosted the Dutch 5-1 rout of Spain, and Germany’s 4-0 beatdown on Portugal.

Benzema's strike as the referee finally blew the final whistle was funny for the frequency with which Benzema has missed out on adding to his goal tally. In France's previous match, he caused the Honduran goalkeeper's own goal, and then today, he had his penalty saved in addition to the disallowed score to finish the match.

Benzema on that free-kick was just wooftastic.

So, France, huh? That was an eye-opener. Not just for the dominating scoreline, but the way they dominated. 

The Swiss looked so good down the wings and on the counter in the second half against Ecuador, but France not only killed any attacks coming that route today, but then turned it against Switzerland so quickly. You can almost forgive the Swiss for their hesitancy going forward after the first two goals.