France star Antoine Griezmann has paid tribute to Luxembourg after the minnows secured an unlikely 0-0 draw in a World Cup qualifying match in Toulouse on Sunday.
Although France dominated the game and had 31 shots, the visitors gave a gutsy display and even went close to securing an incredible victory when Telstar winger Gerson Rodrigues hit the post on a counterattack.
Even if the hosts were themselves luckless, the Atletico Madrid star was full of admiration for their opponents, comparing them to Diego Simeone’s side.
“We've no excuses,” he told Canal+. “We played against 11 warriors. For me, it was beautiful to see because it reminded me a little of my club, so I really like it.”
Both Griezmann and Pogba hit the bar for the French, while Alexandre Lacazette had a header cleared off the line and visiting goalkeeper Jonathan Joubert had a match to remember.
“I wouldn’t reproach the game that France played,” visiting boss Luc Holtz said after the match. “They had rhythm and pace to their play. The only thing they didn’t do was take their chances.
“When a team plays deep, like we did, there’s often a leg or a head in the way of shots. They sought to find spaces but there weren’t any. It’s difficult to get chances when it’s like that.”
Despite the draw, France remain top of qualifying Group A, though they must now win fixtures against Bulgaria and Belarus to secure their place at World Cup 2018.
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