By Milcah Tanimu

France breathed a collective sigh of relief after securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Chile in a friendly match at the Velodrome in Marseille on Tuesday.

Olivier Giroud played a crucial role, scoring one of France’s goals as they bounced back from conceding an early goal to emerge triumphant.

The win comes as a relief for the French team, which faced criticism following a lackluster performance against Germany. With the European Championship approaching in June and July, this victory will boost their confidence.

Notably, the French lineup was far from full-strength, with only captain Kylian Mbappe and midfielder Aurélien Tchouameni retaining their starting positions. Coach Didier Deschamps made nine changes, including introducing Marseille right-back Jonathan Clauss and Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, both of whom unfortunately suffered injuries in the first half.

France found themselves trailing early on to a determined Chile side, with Nunez of Norwich City scoring the opening goal. However, Les Bleus quickly responded, with Fofana equalizing with a deflected shot from outside the box, and Kolo Muani putting them ahead with a header.

Despite Camavinga’s injury setback, France extended their lead in the second half through Giroud, who netted his 57th international goal. Chile managed to pull one back late in the game with a well-taken strike by Osorio.

This win will serve as a morale booster for France as they continue their preparations for the European Championship, while Chile will look to build on their performance as they gear up for the Copa America in June.