France beat Italy, Tunisia held, Korea lose, Aussies rampant
Soccer Football - International Friendly - France vs Italy - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - June 1, 2018 France's Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring their third goal with team mates REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
PARIS (Reuters) - France underlined their World Cup credentials with their three forwards all involved in the goals that secured an impressive 3-1 friendly victory over Italy on Friday.
Just under two weeks before the finals start in Russia, Tunisia were held 2-2 by 10-man Turkey, Australia won 4-0 against the Czech Republic and South Korea suffered a 3-1 home defeat after Bosnia's Edin Visca scored a hat-trick.
Soccer Football - International Friendly - Tunisia vs Turkey - Stade de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland - June 1, 2018 Tunisia's Ferjani Sassi celebrates scoring their second goal with team mates REUTERS/Denis Balibouse TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
France showed the full extent of their firepower as defender Samuel Umtiti scored at the end of a Kylian Mbappe move while Antoine Griezmann and Ousman Dembele found the net.
The Italians pulled a goal back through central defender Leonardo Bonucci, who fired home after the returning Mario Balotelli, new coach Roberto Mancini's favourite, saw his free kick parried into the path of the Azzurri captain.
But France were a cut above Italy, who missed out on the World Cup, with Umtiti putting Les Bleus ahead after keeper Salvatore Sirigu failed to deal with Mbappe's shot.
Soccer Football - International Friendly - South Korea vs Bosnia and Herzegovina - Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonju, South Korea - June 1, 2018 South Korea's Son Heung-Min looks dejected REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Griezmann converted a second-half penalty and Dembele curled a splendid shot into the top corner as France hit the Italians on the break.
France have been drawn with Peru, Denmark and Australia in Group C at the finals starting this month.
Soccer Football - International Friendly - Czech Republic v Australia - NV Arena, Sankt Polten, Austria - June 1, 2018 Australia's Mathew Leckie celebrates with team mates after scoring their third goal REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader
TUNISIA HELD
Tunisia were held to a 2-2 draw by 10-man Turkey in Geneva after Caglar Soyuncu scored a last-minute equaliser against the African side drawn in Group G with Belgium, Panama and England.
Cenk Tosun put Turkey ahead with a penalty early in the second half before Anice Badri equalised two minutes later.
Soccer Football - International Friendly - France vs Italy - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - June 1, 2018 France's Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring their third goal with Paul Pogba REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
Striker Tosun was then sent off just past the hour when he became involved in a verbal altercation with a Turkish fan and had to be restrained by his team mates.
Ferjani Sassi fired the Tunisians in front with nine minutes remaining, before Soyuncu’s late strike denied them victory, but the result extended their unbeaten run to nine games.
South Korea, who have a tough group which includes Germany, Mexico and Sweden, succumbed to a disappointing defeat by Bosnia, with Visca scoring all the goals for the visitors.
Soccer Football - International Friendly - France vs Italy - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - June 1, 2018 France's Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring their third goal with Paul Pogba REUTERS/Eric Gaillard TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Jae Sung-lee immediately levelled on the half-hour after Visca scored his first goal but the Koreans lacked efficiency in front of goal unlike Bosnia who took their chances.
Australia's finishing was clinical as they found net with four of their five shots on target.
Matthew Leckie scored in each half either side of Andrew Nabbout's strike with a Jakub Jugas own goal 10 minutes from time rounding off a convincing win for the Australians.
Soccer Football - International Friendly - France vs Italy - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - June 1, 2018 France coach Didier Deschamps shakes the hand of Paul Pogba as he is substituted off while Italy coach Roberto Mancini looks on REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Soccer Football - International Friendly - France vs Italy - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - June 1, 2018 France's Kylian Mbappe in action with Italy's Mattia Caldara REUTERS/Eric GaillardSoccer Football - International Friendly - France vs Italy - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - June 1, 2018 France's Antoine Griezmann celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Eric GaillardSoccer Football - International Friendly - Tunisia vs Turkey - Stade de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland - June 1, 2018 Tunisia's Anice Badri in action with Turkey's Hasan Ali Kaldirim REUTERS/Denis BalibouseSoccer Football - International Friendly - Tunisia vs Turkey - Stade de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland - June 1, 2018 Turkey's Cenk Tosun celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Denis BalibouseSoccer Football - International Friendly - Tunisia vs Turkey - Stade de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland - June 1, 2018 Fans throw a smoke canister on to the pitch REUTERS/Denis BalibouseSoccer Football - International Friendly - Tunisia vs Turkey - Stade de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland - June 1, 2018 Turkey's Cenk Tosun is shown a red card by the referee REUTERS/Denis BalibouseSoccer Football - International Friendly - South Korea vs Bosnia and Herzegovina - Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonju, South Korea - June 1, 2018 South Korea's Se-Jong Ju in action with Bosnia's Stjepan Loncar REUTERS/Kim Hong-JiSoccer Football - International Friendly - South Korea vs Bosnia and Herzegovina - Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonju, South Korea - June 1, 2018 Bosnia's Muhamed Besic in action with South Korea's Seung-Woo Lee, Kyung-Won Kwon and Woo-Young Jung REUTERS/Kim Hong-JiSoccer Football - International Friendly - South Korea vs Bosnia and Herzegovina - Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonju, South Korea - June 1, 2018 Bosnia's Edin Visca celebrates with Muhamed Besic after scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick REUTERS/Kim Hong-JiSoccer Football - International Friendly - South Korea vs Bosnia and Herzegovina - Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonju, South Korea - June 1, 2018 South Korea coach Shin Tae-yong gives instructions to Son Heung-Min REUTERS/Kim Hong-JiSoccer Football - International Friendly - South Korea vs Bosnia and Herzegovina - Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonju, South Korea - June 1, 2018 Bosnia's Edin Visca celebrates with team mates after scoring their first goal REUTERS/Kim Hong-JiSoccer Football - International Friendly - Czech Republic v Australia - NV Arena, Sankt Polten, Austria - June 1, 2018 Augsburg's Gojko Kacar in action with Czech Republic's Josef Sural REUTERS/Heinz-Peter BaderSoccer Football - International Friendly - Czech Republic v Australia - NV Arena, Sankt Polten, Austria - June 1, 2018 Czech Republic's Jan Sykora in action with Australia's Mark Milligan and Aziz Eraltay REUTERS/Heinz-Peter BaderSoccer Football - International Friendly - Czech Republic v Australia - NV Arena, Sankt Polten, Austria - June 1, 2018 Czech Republic's Filip Novak in action with Australia's Mathew Leckie REUTERS/Heinz-Peter BaderSoccer Football - International Friendly - Czech Republic v Australia - NV Arena, Sankt Polten, Austria - June 1, 2018 Australia's Aaron Mooy and Dimitri Petratos in action with Czech Republic's Vladimir Darida REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader
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