With Corentin Tolisso in the starting eleven, World Cup joint favourites France again showed they are in top form. The European Championship runners-up beat Italy 3-1 in Nice on Friday night. That was the second victory in the first two of three friendly fixtures ahead of this summer’s World Cup in Russia. Goals from Samuel Umtiti on eight minutes, Antoine Griezmann from the penalty spot on 28 and former Dortmund player Ousmane Dembélé (63’) sealed the win for Didier Deschamps’ team with Leonardo Bonucci (36’) netting a consolation strike for Italy. Tolisso played for 77 minutes. France face the USA on 9 June before heading off to Russia. The Equipe tricolore are in Group C alongside Australia, Peru and Denmark.
Goalless draw for James against Egypt
James Rodriguez had to settle for a draw on Friday. The FC Bayern midfielder featured in Columbia’s 0-0 draw with Egypt in Bergamo. The South American team, with James going the full distance, failed to convert their superiority on the pitch into goals. The absence of Mohamed Salah clearly had an effect on the Egyptians. The quarter-finalists from the last World Cup meet Robert Lewandowski’s Poland, Japan and Senegal in Group H in Russia. Egypt have also qualified for the World Cup finals.
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