Raymond Domenech pleased with win

Raymond Domenech pleased with win

France coach Raymond Domenech searched for the positives after seeing his side stutter to a 1-0 win over Group Seven minnows Faroe Islands in World Cup qualifying.

Les Bleus have lacked a cutting edge up front over the past six months and that was again the case in Torshavn last night, Toulouse striker Andre-Pierre Gignac grabbing the only goal of the game in the 42nd minute.

But despite his team's attacking deficiencies, Domenech was delighted to see them earn a victory that keeps their hopes of finishing top of the pool intact.

The French consolidated second place and are now five points behind group leaders Serbia with a game in hand.

"As I said on the eve of the game, the priority was the three points - the rest is a bonus," Domenech is quoted in French daily newspaper L'Equipe as telling reporters.

"But in what we tried to do, in how the game developed and seeing our liveliness, there were some good things out there.

"We perhaps lacked this speed that you can get on a wet pitch; that slowed down the passes and it was complicated. But despite that, we were able to vary our game, play long and short and shoot at goal.

"But it is true, we are all frustrated. We had to score more, yes. But we especially had to win."

Gignac picked up the man-of-the-match honours, not just because of his goal but because of his all-round performance.

He was the only player to really test the packed defence of the Faroes with his speed and his snap-shooting.

His goal arrived when he took a pass from Florent Malouda inside the area, spun his marker and fired a powerful, low shot in at the near post.

With captain Thierry Henry injured and Karim Benzema not considered match sharp for this qualifier, Gignac - Ligue 1's top scorer last season - took a rare chance to impress as a starter with both hands.

"Andre-Pierre was a good solution against such a tight defence," Malouda said.

"He attempted a lot of shots and he posed them problems."

Domenech added: "If he is here, it is not by chance. It is because he is showing something.

"Now that gives us more competition up front. He showed that he has the qualities to be a rival in a position where we have a lot of people."

France play Romania next on September 5 before travelling to Belgrade for what could be a winner-takes-all showdown with the Serbs on September 9.