France demolish Ukraine, mixed fortunes for Germany, Spain

 

World champions France thrashed Ukraine 7-1 on Wednesday in the pick of the European friendlies, as Spain played a goalless draw with Portugal.

At the Stade de France it was teenager Eduardo Camavinga and veteran Olivier Giroud inflicting much of the damage for Didier Deschamps’ men on Covid-19 hit Ukraine.

The 17-year-old Camavinga put himself on the map becoming the youngest man to score for France in over a century with an audacious overhead flick for the ninth minute opener.

Deschamps made Giroud captain for his 100th appearance and in return the Chelsea forward scored a first-half brace that left him on 42 international goals, just nine short of Thiery Henry on 51.

“I’ll just carry on and see how far it goes,” said Giroud, 34.

PSG’s Kylian Mbappe, Bayern Munich’s Corentin Tolisso and Barcelona striker Antoine Griezmann were also on the mark with fine strikes.

Ukraine’s team had been so ravaged by injury and the coronavirus they included a 45-year-old coach as second ‘keeper for the night.

European champions in 2016 Portugal return to the Stade de France in the Nations League on Sunday and used a friendly with their Iberian rivals Spain to warm up.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Renato Sanchez both struck the woodwork for Portugal, who then should have won it in injury-time only for Joao Felix to miskick at the back post.

Both sit top of their Nations League groups, Portugal with maximum points after beating Croatia and Sweden while Spain have four after thrashing Ukraine and drawing with Germany.

Germany coach Joachim Loew bemoaned his side’s inability to hold on to a lead after they conceded a last-gasp equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Turkey in Cologne.

Stuttgart-born Kenan Karaman bundled in a late leveller against the country of his birth as Turkey fought back from behind three times to snatch a draw and leave Loew scratching his head.

Veteran striker Francesco Caputo scored on his Italy debut with Stephan El Shaarawy adding a brace as an experimental Azzurri side crushed Moldova 6-0.

Against the modest Moldovans the Italians extended coach Roberto Mancini’s unbeaten run to 17 consecutive games, with 14 wins and three draws.

Italy, top of their Nations Leagues group with four points, play in Poland on Sunday and the Netherlands in Bergamo next Wednesday, with both on three points.