France’s Paul Pogba in action against Holland in their international friendly at the ArenA stadium in Amsterdam on Friday. France won 3-2. (Photo: AP)
France’s Paul Pogba in action against Holland in their international friendly at the ArenA stadium in Amsterdam on Friday. France won 3-2. (Photo: AP)
France claimed an exciting 3-2 friendly win over the Netherlands on a night of emotion in Amsterdam on Friday, the day after Dutch legend Johan Cruyff died at the age of 68.
The match at the Amsterdam ArenA was preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of the 31 people killed and 300 injured in the Brussels attacks on Tuesday.
The game was then paused in the 14th minute for 60 seconds of applause, as the players and supporters remembered Cruyff, the man who pioneered ‘Total Football’ and inspired the Netherlands to the 1974 World Cup final.
Before that though, Euro 2016 hosts France had taken control on their way to a win that sends a real message to their rivals for the continental title.
Antoine Griezmann sparked the match into life early on as he gave France the lead with a precise left-footed free-kick, and Olivier Giroud lashed home from close range to make it two in the 13th minute.
Home manager Danny Blind responded by making two changes at half-time, and his men dragged themselves back into the match through Luuk de Jong. Substitute Ibrahim Afellay drove the Netherlands level in the 86th minute, but there was still time for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi to win it for Les Bleus.
Dutch captain Wesley Sneijder will not be travelling to Wembley next week with his countrys squad for the ‘friendly against England after suffering a hamstring injury on Friday.
