BREMEN: France gave themselves a pre-Euro 2012 boost with a 2-1 friendly win over an injury-depleted Germany. A first-half goal by France’s Olivier Giroud, who then set up substitute Florent Malouda for the second, inflicted the first defeat on Joachim Loew’s Germany since they were beaten by the same margin to Australia last March. Germany’s Brazil-born striker Cacau scored a consolation goal for the hosts. In another friendly, Ivory Coast were held 0-0 by Guinea in their first appearance since losing the Africa Cup of Nations final on penalties to Zambia. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sebastian Larsson starred for Sweden in their well deserved 3-1 win over Croatia, while Poland and qualifiers Portugal were unable to deliver a thriller, drawing 0-0.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 2nd, 2012.
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