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Inspired by an outstanding Franck Ribéry, the France Under-21s came from behind to beat England in Nancy on Tuesday and book their place in the European Championships next summer.
With the tie evenly poised after Friday’s 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane, England seized the initiative when Darren Bent arrowed a header from Darren Ambrose’s cross past Jérémy Gavanon to open the scoring 10 minutes into the second half.
But Ribéry was at his mesmerising best and soon had Les Espoirs back on level terms, the Marseille player latching onto a Jimmy Briand pass and crashing a shot past Scott Carson from 25 yards.
England were rocked back by the goal and subsequently found themselves entrenched in their own half for the game's closing stages. The French pressure eventually paid when substitute Lassana Diarra was recklessly brought down inside the area by Kieran Richardson four minutes before the end. Rennes ace Briand fired the resulting penalty just beyond Carson’s grasp.
It was a dramatic finale to a tense and eagerly-contested encounter. Both sides had good chances to score in the first half – the best one falling to Bent in the 11th minute. The Charlton striker evaded Ronald Zubar’s challenge but his shot bounced out off Gavanon’s post.
When the rebound fell to Richardson, the Manchester United midfielder was denied by a superb reflex stop from Gavanon.
Bent threatened again moments later, bursting through a fragile-looking French defence only to see his low shot saved again by an alert Gavanon.
As was the case in the first leg, however, the most creative football came from René Girard’s team – and, in particular, Ribéry. After playing a one-two with Jérémy Berthod on the left in the 27th minute, the former Metz ace centred for Anthony Le Tallec whose header was tipped over in superb fashion by Carson.
Briand then fired a header beyond the Liverpool’s ‘keeper’s grasp, only for Dawson to clear the ball before it crossed the line.
England reorganised at the interval and initially coped better with the French forays forwards. But after Bent’s header broke the deadlock, France sparked back into life and Ribéry, man-of-the-match in both legs, never seemed likely to finish up on the losing side.
Whether the playmaker is involved in the European Under-21 Championships or the World Cup next summer is up to Raymond Domenech to decide.
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