France stunned by Japan in Spain rehearsal

France will go into next week's crucial
World Cup qualifier against Spain on
the back of a defeat after substitute
Yasuyuki Konno's 88th-minute goal
gave Japan a 1-0 win in Friday's
friendly at Stade de France.
The hosts had largely controlled the
game but they were caught cold with
two minutes to play when Konno
volleyed home Yuto Nagatomo's cross
following a rapid counter-attack.
It was Japan's first win over France in
six attempts and a first defeat for
Didier Deschamps in his fourth game
since taking over from Laurent Blanc
at the France helm.
The former Marseille coach will hope
the damage is not too profound
ahead of Tuesday's pivotal Group I
game with Spain in Madrid, while
Japan will head into their friendly
against Brazil in Poland with a spring
in their step.
Despite a patchy pitch at the French
national stadium, the hosts settled
quickly and won five corners in the
first 10 minutes, one of which was
headed narrowly wide by Laurent
Koscielny in the fourth minute.
Deschamps' desire to find a place in
his starting XI for Arsenal striker Olivier
Giroud obliged Karim Benzema to play
on the left, but the Real Madrid man
was nonetheless a constant threat in
the first half.
After heading Giroud's feathered
cross straight at Japan goalkeeper Eiji
Kawashima in the seventh minute, he
shot wide three times before forcing
Kawashima into action again with a
well-placed free-kick from 20 yards.
Benzema left the fray at half-time, in
one of three changes made by
Deschamps, and although France
remained on top, there was a scare in
the 55th minute.
Hugo Lloris could not hold a low free-
kick from Kengo Nakamura and the
rebound was collected by Shinji
Kagawa, but he could only drag the
ball across the face of goal.
Japan were coming into the game
more and more, with Manchester
United's Kagawa repositioned in a
central role, and Deschamps elected
to introduce Franck Ribery from the
bench.
The Bayern Munich winger worked
Kawashima with a deflected effort in
the 74th minute, before an angled
pass from fellow substitute Mathieu
Valbuena almost rolled straight in after
Kawashima was distracted by Giroud's
attempt to play the ball.
The game opened up, Lloris just
getting enough on a Nagatomo centre
to take the ball away from Mike
Havenaar, before Bafetimbi Gomis
headed in Giroud's overhead kick at
the other end, only for the goal to be
ruled out for offside.
Kawashima then had to drop quickly
to block a near-post shot from Ribery,
before an eventful denouement
culminated in Konno's winner.
Twice Kawashima was solicited,
thwarting Giroud and then Valbuena
from range, but from the corner that
followed Valbuena's attempt, Japan
broke at speed and Nagatomo
crossed for Konno to convert the
winner.