Mexico line-up:Perez, Rodriguez, Salcido, Marquez (c), Osorio, Torrado, Franco (Blanco, 62'), Vela (Barrera, 31'), Moreno, Juarez (Hernandez, 55'), Dos Santos
France line-up: Lloris, Sagna, Abidal, Gallas, Ribery, Govou (Valbuena, 69'), Evra (c), Toulalan, Malouda, Diaby, Anelka (Gignac, HT)
Well France improved against Uruguay but still were extremely poor and Mexico breezed past the French. Raymond Domenech as we know is stepping down as manager after this World Cup and after his tactical decisions in this game, so he should. Vela's short performance before having to go off injured created problems with the French defence and could have scored early on. The pace was sometimes unbearable for the French defence who looked very leggy and ordinary. Again Ribery had a quiet game but had a few chances in the game none of which forced Perez to exert too much effort.
Domenech made the first tactical move in the second half; bringing off Anelka for Giganc, in my opinion Anelka offered better support for Malouda and Ribery than Govou and it should have been Govou that departed. It did seem to inspire France into life for ten minutes or so and Perez was forced to make a few decent saves. Javier Aguirre then made a double change bringing on Hernandez and Blanco, who did the trick for Mexico. Firstly a through ball which broke the offside trap led Hernandez into a one-on-one with Lloris, Hernandez coolly ran past Lloris' flailing dive and tapped it into the empty net. The game was finished when Berrera made a dazzling run beating Evra and Gallas for pace before Abidal sent him crashing down and won Mexico a penalty. Blanco took possibly the longest and straightest run up ever before slotting the ball into the corner to give Mexico all three points. Meaning that Mexico and Uruguay just need a draw to send France and South Africa crashing out, I sense a draw somehow!
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