Benzema Inspirator Kemenangan Prancis 3-0 atas Honduras
Benzema Inspires France to Opening Win after Beat Honduras 3-0
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
Porto Alegre (B2B) - Benzema membuktikan ketajamannya dengan membuat tiga gol melalui kakinya yang mengantar Prancis menang 3-0 atas Honduras dalam laga Piala Dunia 2014 di Stadion Beira-Rio Porto Alegre, Minggi sore (Senin dinihari WIB).
Prancis yang beberapa kali upayanya sejak awal babak pertama melalui Benzema, Matuidi, dan Griezmann, tidak beruntung--karena melenceng dan dua kali membentur mistar gawang--, membuka keunggulan dari titik putih, seperti dilansir Yahoo Sports.
Tendangan penalti taktis Benzema yang mengecoh kiper Honduras Valladares pada menit akhir babak pertama (45´) membawa Prancis unggul 1-0.
Hadiah penalti untuk Prancis diberikan setelah Palacios mendorong Pogba di kotak terlarang pada menit 43.
Pelanggaran itu sekaligus membuat Palacios diusir dari lapangan karena kartu merah setelah sebelumnya ia juga melanggar Benzema.
Prancis pun mengakhiri babak pertama dengan mengantogi keunggulan satu gol dan keuntungan lain, menghadapi hanya 10 pemain Honduras setelah turun minum.
Pada peruh waktu kedua pertandingan, Prancis tidak mengendorkan serangannya, dan 10 pemain Honduras yang tersisa kian memudahkan Benzema dan kawan-kawan menekan pertahanan lawan.
Meski pelatih Luis Suarez memasukkan Boniek menggantikan Bengtson dan Chavez mengisi posisi Bernardez pada awal babak pertama, ternyata tidak membuat serangan Honduras lebih tajam.
Bahkan, pada menit 48, Honduras kembali kebobolan. Benzema melayangkan tembakan keras, membentur mistar kiri dan masuk ke gawang Honduras setelah kiper Valladares gagal mencegahnya.
FIFA menyebut gol tersebut sebagai gol bunuh diri Valldares. Bola tendangan Benzema yang membentur mistar gawang, melayang di atas garis gawang dan Valladeres mencoba menghentikannya tapi bola justru masuk, setelah teknologi garis gawang memastikannya.
Benzema kemudian melengkapi kemenangan Prancis menjadi 3-0 melalui ketajaman kemampuan teknisnya, mencetak gol dari sudut sulit pada menit 72 yang gagal dibendung Valladeres.
Meskipun merusaha menambah gol melalui Debuchy, Griezmann, dan Matuidi, Prancis mengakhiri laga perdananya tetap dengan skor akhir 3-0.
Porto Allegre - Striker Karim Benzema scored twice as France strolled to a 3-0 win over 10-man Honduras in Group E encounter of the FIFA World Cup at the Beira-Rio Stadium here Sunday.
Benzema, who has scored eight goals in seven matches now, became the first French player to score a brace in the World Cup since Zinedine Zidane did it in the 1998 final, reports Xinhua.
It was also the first time since 1998 for France to score in the World Cup opening match.
Honduras midfielder Wilson Palacios´ sending off in the 43rd minute was the turning point of the match.
He barged into Paul Pogba´s back, receiving his second yellow card and France were awarded a penalty for the misdemeanour. Benzema gave the keeper no chance giving France the lead.
France made a slow start to the game but as the game wore on started stamping their authority. Ten minutes into the match, France won three consecutive free kicks, with Blaise Matuidi stinging shot palmed away by the Honduras goalie onto the crossbar on the third occasion.
France took an overwhelming advantage in the rest of the first half. Antoine Griezmann hit the crossbar before Karim Benzema missed a diving header.
In the second half things were much same and in the 48th minute Benzema thought he had scored his brace but shot hit the right post and deflected in off Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares.
Goalline technology was called into action and the new tech deemed that the ball had crossed the line but it was given as an own goal.
Valladeres thus became the oldest player to score a World Cup own goal, beating Carlos Gamarra (35 years, 113 days) of Paraguay, when he scored in his own net against England June 19, 2006. Valladares is 37 years, 43 days.
Down by two, Honduras had to switch to attacking mode and that allowed France more chance for goals.
Both Benzema and Griezmann had opportunities inside the box, but Valladares was at hand to save both shots.
Ten-man Honduras fought hard to get something from the match, but France were just too strong.
In the 72nd minute, Benzema cleared all doubts grabbing his brace with a fearsome strike.
France next face Switzerland, who edged Ecuador 2-1 in an earlier match Sunday.
