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PA Sport 9y

France beat Denmark on the backs of Alexandre Lacazette and Olivier Giroud

In-form Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette scored his first international goal as France beat Denmark 2-0 in a friendly in St Etienne.

The 24-year-old grabbed his 28th goal for club and country this season and Arsenal's Olivier Giroud doubled France's lead before half-time.

Denmark came into the game in the second half but could not find a way past Stephane Ruffier, the St Etienne keeper playing on home territory at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

Defender Raphael Varane, captain for the night in the absence of Hugo Lloris, was one of only three survivors from the team beaten by Brazil on Friday. Antoine Griezmann and Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin were the others.

Geoffrey Kondogbia and Lacazette failed to take advantage of Dimitri Payet's corner and when the Marseille man went for goal himself, his shot was too high.

But Lacazette opened the scoring in the 14th minute, combining with Payet to set up Griezmann and following up to ram the ball home after the latter's outside-of-the-foot shot was saved by Kasper Schmeichel.

Schmeichel saved well from Lacazette but was well beaten by Payet's effort, which curled just wide of the far post.

Griezmann could not connect with Payet's cross but Giroud made it 2-0 in the 38th minute.

Kondogbia broke from midfield and squared the ball for the Arsenal striker to fire a left-footed shot past Schmeichel.

Denmark sought a way back into the game after half-time but Michael Krohn-Dehli's volley was inadvertently blocked by the hand of Laurent Koscielny and substitute Simon Poulsen missed the target.

Ruffier had to save well from Christian Eriksen and Nicklas Bendtner, with the second half in complete contrast to the first.

Koscielny failed with two attempts to turn substitute Mathieu Valbuena's corner towards goal before Ruffier was tested again, diving at the feet of Krohn-Dehli to snuff out a chance.

Giroud headed another Valbuena corner wide as time expired.

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