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Scorers: Kylian Mbappe 40' 83', Paul Pogba 49', Fedor Smolov 68'
In their second game of the international friendlies this month, France pulled off a relatively easy win against Russia at the Saint Petersburg Stadium on Tuesday. It was a considerable improvement on their previous performance, where they squandered a comfortable two-goal lead against Colombia.
Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba were the top performers for France on the night. Their collective effort powered them to a 3-1 victory over the hosts.
Let us look at five talking points from the game:
#5 France back to winning ways
After capitulating to an unexpected defeat against Colombia at home last week, the French team showed its class to get back to winning ways in Russia. The hosts of the upcoming FIFA World Cup were pushed to the backfoot in the first half of the game, courtesy some France's possession play and directness.
Didier Deschamps made seven changes to France's starting line-up from the game against Colombia, thereby exhibiting the enviable bench strength at his disposal.
Falling to the South-American team by throwing away a two-goal lead was a wake-up call for the Les Bleus. They needed a strong performance to shake off that loss and now that they have managed to get it in the very next game, the Frenchmen seem back on track with their preparations for the big tournament.
#4 A statement made by Paul Pogba
The Manchester United midfielder has faced quite a lot of criticism in the past few months. He seems to be out of favour with the Red Devils' manager, Jose Mourinho, and has often been left on the bench.
He did not start the previous game for France and it seemed like things were turning from bad to worse for the 24-year-old. However, he made a thumping comeback to the side on Tuesday and showed why he is regarded as one of the best creative midfielders in the world today.
He started off shakily and lost the possession of the ball on a couple of occasions. However, he regrouped well and swung the momentum of the game towards the French team. He set up a strike for Kylian Mbappe in the 40th minute of the game before netting one himself with a tremendous curler, which was taken from a free-kick that was 30 yards out.
It was the first time Pogba managed to secure a goal as well as provide an assist in the same game for his national side.
#3 Worry deepens for Russia
Russia have had to tackle a whole host of problems in order to set up the big tournament in the country, but the most pressing issue for them at the moment is the horrific form their football team finds itself in.
They are now without a win in seven consecutive matches and signs look worrisome for Stanislav Cherchesov's team.
Against France, they not only missed some straightforward chances in the final third but also made numerous unacceptable mistakes in their own box. They looked bright while attacking in the first few minutes of the game, but nothing substantial came off their efforts as they struggled to keep the opposing team under wraps.
A terrific assist from substitute Igor Smolbikov and the subsequent goal by Fedor Smolov offered little consolation to the perturbing situation Russia find themselves in right now. A lot of work needs to be done by Sbornaya they take on Saudi Arabia in the opening game of the World Cup later this year.
#4 Kylian Mbappe's masterclass upfront
A brilliant brace from the PSG forward proved to be the difference between the two sides on the day. He put up an attacking masterclass and scored once in each half to set up his team for an easy victory against the hosts.
The 19-year-old looked ineffective in his role on the right flank against Colombia last week. However, the central position against Russia seemed to suit him more, as it freed him up considerably and allowed him to put his tremendous skills to full use.
In the 40th minute of the game, he converted a perfectly weighted through-ball from Pogba. His second goal of the night was even more of a delight to watch, as he made brilliant use of the space available to him to put one through the legs of the harrowed goalkeeper.
#5 A double headache for Deschamps
The two games that France have played in this month so far have pointed to two clear headaches for Deschamps before the big tournament. One of them is a problem he would like to have, while the other might as well end up threatening his team's chance at international glory.
The forward line of the team looks menacing, to say the least. However, the great options that the French manager has at his disposal might make it difficult for him to select the right attackers. On one hand, he has a powerful young force in the form of Mbappe, Anthony Martial, and Ousmane Dembele. On the other hand, he has his trusted campaigners in Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, and Alexandre Lacazette.
The second and more concerning matter in question is the scrappy defensive performance his players have put in recently. Their back four looked sketchy against Colombia, to say the least. Even against Russia, the defenders ended up gifting a lot of chances to the hosts.
If France wish to go deep into the World Cup this year, they must sort out their defensive woes at the earliest.
