France boss Didier Deschamps was a happy man after the 1-0 win over Peru that qualified Les Bleus for the round of 16, praising his side’s team spirit and tenacity in a match that was far from easy.
Thursday, 21 June, 2018
FIFA World Cup, Group C, Matchday 2
Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg
France 1 – 0 Peru 
Didier Deschamps (France coach): “We did what we had to in order to get this second win. We could even have pulled further clear in the first half. In the second, we struggled a bit because we didn’t hang onto the ball enough. We were obliged to defend a lot and we did it with a lot of solidarity. We were effective and we stuck together to hold out for the result, which qualified us for the next round after two matches. That’s extremely satisfying.”
Ricardo Gareca (Peru coach): “We had other expectations but, in general, I think the team gave their all. The players left everything out on the pitch, in both matches. I cannot criticise them for, other than the fact that the result could have been different. We tried, we used all our weapons and we were ready to get the win. The lads gave 100%, created chances and controlled the game but we couldn’t convert that into goals. This will help us in tournaments in the future and people know that Peru’s national team has huge potential. I should acknowledge their merit rather than underline our defeat.”
Be the first to comment