France: Barthez, Sagnol, Gallas, Thuram, Silvestre, Malouda (Wiltord 73), Vieira (Diarra 81), Makelele, Ribery (Govou 77), Trezeguet, Henry.

Togo: Agassa, Tchangai, Nibombe, Abalo, Forson, Senaya, Aziawonou, Salifou, Mamam (Olufade 59), Adebayor (Dossevi 75), Kader.

Match Report: France needed a win to have any chance of progressing to the knockout stages and they set about trying to tie up their part of the bargain early on.

A series of early attacks led to chances, mainly for Trezeguet, but none of these were taken which meant an uncomfortable first half then ensued.

Trezeguet got his first chance when the bounce of the ball favoured him inside the area and he was sudenly staring at the whites of the keepers eyes. It was an excellent chance but he put it wide.

Nibombe prevented him getting a shot away in the next attack with a great challenge but then Ribery's pin point centre gave him another opportunity but his header was directly above Agassa and the keeper tipped over.

Togo responded with a neat link up between Adebayor and Kader whose final shot forced Barthez into a fisted clearance.

This was a rare effort on goal for Togo as they spent most of the half camped inside their own half. Henry slipped a lovely ball through to Ribery which left him bearing down on goal but he chose to pass to Trezeguet who was offside and happy to be so after Agassa saved his shot anyway.

Agassa really was at full stretch to parry a crisp shot from Malouda that looked to be going five yards wide anyway but the keeper was in inspired form during the first half.

He dropped onto Trezeguet's weak side foot effort and then showed superb handling to cleanly hold an awkward drive from Silvestre. He also came and claimed a series of crosses with great confidence.

Salifou managed a swift break and sent in a shot through a defenders' legs that could have caused a problem but Barthez was down to save confidently.

Then came the clearest of all France's clear first half openings. Henry initially lost possession but quickly won it back and sent Ribery running clear. With the goal at his mercy he blazed wildly over.

Agassa finally made a fumble when saving Ribery's drive but was quick to respond in blocking Trezeguet from the rebound. The striker was again happy that the flag was up against him anyway after another terrible miss.

France left the pitch wondering how they were still goalless after their catalogue of chances and knowing that a repeat in the second half would see them on their way home.

Half Time: France 0 Togo 0

France were quickly back on the attack when the second half began. Ribery cleverly played a free kick from down the side of the box back towards the penalty spot to meet Trezeguet's run but his shot was blocked as it speared goalwards by Abalo.

There had been several dodgy offsides against the French but none were as dubious as the one that halted Adebayor as he looked to get on the end of a clever lob through by Salifou. In fairness to Barthez he would probably have got there first even without the flag going up.

Kader then produced a remarkable run during which he never lifted his head once. He could have been running down the autobahn for all he knew as he finally tried a toe bunger of a shot. He was still in the stadium but his shot may not have been.

France swept straight to the other end and carved out their best chance yet. Henry set Malouda streaking into the box with a lovely back heel and he cut back the perfect ball for Ribery. The finish was awful, skied miles over the bar when anything on target would probably have sufficed.

This was a miss that could have drained French confidence but it was not allowed to. Ribery himself led the next charge, jinking into the box before slipping a pass into Vieira who had come galloping past him.

The French skipper produced a surprisingly nimble turn and fired an emphatic shot into the wall of the net.

This looked as though it would be enough given the general impotence of the Togo attack but another goal would completely ease the tension.

Henry had the chance to provide it immediately. Sagnol picked him out with a precise ball from deep but his effort on the volley skewed hopelessly wide of the target.

Sagnol then made a vital contribution at the other end. Adebayor worked space for a shot and crashed a fierce drive which looked goalbound until Sagnol's flying intervention averted the danger.

Within moments Vieira had headed on a long ball into the Togo area and Henry sent a clever reverse drive into the bottom corner completely foxing Agassa.

France may have been awarded a penalty for handball shortly afterwards but that would probably have been harsh and the rest of the game seemed to be an exercise in trying to let Trezeguet score. It was an exercise he failed.

Agassa had to be alert to deny him once with his feet but in general the forward was his own worst enemy.

Even worse was the fact that when France then seemed to admit defeat in their quest to fashion a chance that even he could not squander the last ten minutes became a tedious round of Mexican waves and congas around the stadium.

The final whistle was blessed relief.

Full Time: France 2 Togo 0

France: Barthez 6, Sagnol 8, Gallas 6, Thuram 6, Silvestre 5, Malouda 6 (Wiltord 4), Vieira 8, Makalele 6, Ribery 6 (Govou 4), Trezeguet 4, Henry 7.

Togo: Agassa 8, Tchangai 5, Nibombe 6, Abalo 4, Forson 3, Senaya 6, Aziawonou 4, Salifou 6, Mamam 3 (Olufade 4), Adebayor 7 (Dossevi 4), Kader 6.

Referee: J.Larrionda (Uruguay) 7
Not the hardest game to referee but he did manage to actually give some free kicks without pulling out a yellow card at the same time which was a pleasant change.

Good:
I hate to admit it but the French national anthem is quality.

Bad:
Trezeguet. He should have had a panload.

Ugly:
Franck Ribery.
Apparently Manchester United are after this guy. I think he should go.
He looks like Gary Neville's really ugly brother. The one they keep locked up in a cupboard because he's so ugly he would scare the neighbours children (and the parents).