Group E
France3
Benzema 44 pen, 72; Valladares 48og;
Honduras 0
Karim Benzema scored twice and forced an own goal as France eased past 10-man Honduras in their World Cup Group E opener in Porto Alegre, last night.
Les Bleus were comfortably the better side throughout the match, but did not score until Wilson Palacios conceded a 43rd-minute penalty that also earned him a second yellow card.
Benzema converted from the spot and then rifled home a second, his goals split by his part in the World Cup’s first ever affirmative use of goal-line technology.
The Real Madrid striker’s first-time shot had clattered the woodwork only to be fumbled on the rebound by goalkeeper Noel Valla-dares, with the GoalControl system awarding the goal amid some initial confusion.
As well as the three points, France will be just as happy to have departed without serious injury after 90 minutes of late tackles and physical intimidation from their limited opponents.
France wasted no time setting the pace, with Antoine Griezmann and Mathieu Valbuena both impressive.
Valbuena and Mathieu Debuchy were enjoying plenty of joy down the right and the former’s cross caused Valladares to fumble.
Honduras invited pressure with a series of fouls that allowed Valbuena to send a series of testing free-kicks into the danger area.
Blaise Matuidi nearly scored from a half-cleared Valbuena delivery, controlling with his thigh then seeing a powerful shot pushed against the bar by Valladares.
France went closer yet in the 23rd minute, Griezmann beating Maynor Figueroa to a Patrice Evra cross and heading against the bar.
The game could have changed moments later when Palacios tussled with Paul Pogba, the former guilty of a couple of kicks at his opponent and Pogba retaliating by rashly flicking a leg out.
Both saw yellow cards, with Pogba particularly relieved.
After play resumed France’s flow had deserted them, with Benzema beginning to show frustration at his lack of clear opportunities.
Palacios rectified that just before half-time when he barged through the back of Pogba as he shaped to shoot, earning a second yellow card and conceding a penalty. Benzema fired home to make it 1-0.
Honduras reshuffled with two changes at the break but shipped a second inside three minutes.
It went down as an own-goal, Valladares palming fractionally over the line after Benzema’s powerful shot bounced back across goal off the inside of the post.
Honduras boss Luis Suarez seemed unhappy with the verdict but without good reason.
Amid repeated nasty challenges a third seemed inevitable, but Matuidi spurned a glorious chance shortly after the hour when slotting Evra’s pinpoint cross into the side netting.
Benzema then provided it with 18 minutes left.
Debuchy’s long-range drive did not make it through a crowd of bodies but fell kindly for the centre forward, who hammered home an unstoppable shot at the near post.
France: 1-Hugo Lloris, 2-Mathieu Debuchy, 4-Raphael Varane, 5-Mamadou Sakho, 3-Patrice Evra; 14-Blaise Matuidi, 19-Paul Pogba (57 18-Moussa Sissoko), 8-Mathieu Valbuena (78 9-Olivier Giroud), 6-Yohan Cabaye (65 12-Rio Mavuba); 11-Antoine Greizmann, 10-Karim Benzema.
Honduras: 18-Noel Valladares; 21-Brayan Beckeles, 5-Victor Ber-nardez (46 14-Oscar Boniek Garcia), 3-Maynor Figueroa, 7-Emilio Izaguirre; 17-Andy Najar (58 20-Jorge Claros), 8-Wilson Palacios, 19-Luis Garrido, 15-Roger Espinoza; 11-Jerry Bengtson (46 2-Osman Chavez), 13-Carlo Costly.
Referee: Sandro Ricci (Brazil).
Red card: Palacios (H) 43.