France Rally to Victory: Giroud’s Winning Goal Sinks Chile in Friendly
Olivier Giroud scored the decisive goal as France mounted a comeback to defeat Chile in a friendly match held in Marseille.
Chile took an early lead in the sixth minute with Marcelino Nunez’s low strike finding the bottom left corner, surprising the hosts.
However, France responded strongly, with Youssouf Fofana equalizing with a deflected shot, leveling the scoreline. Randal Kolo Muani then put France ahead with a headed goal before halftime.
In the second half, Olivier Giroud extended France’s lead with his 57th international goal, securing the victory for the home side.
Although Dario Osorio managed to pull one back for Chile with a late effort, it wasn’t enough to prevent them from suffering their first defeat under new coach Ricardo Gareca.
The win was a relief for Didier Deschamps, particularly after France’s disappointing loss to Germany in their previous match. Deschamps made significant changes to the lineup, retaining only captain Kylian Mbappe and midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni from the weekend match.
Despite the initial setback, Deschamps will be pleased with his team’s resilience and ability to bounce back after conceding early, ultimately securing a morale-boosting victory thanks to Giroud’s decisive goal in the 72nd minute.
