Griezmann says France must prepare for tough test against Turkey
A win over Turkey will secure a Euro 2020 place for France. Antoine Griezmann braces for a tough test.
Published : Oct 12, 2019 12:18 IST
Antoine Griezmann urged France to immediately turn its focus towards Monday's date with Turkey after beating Iceland 1-0 in Reykjavik in the Euro 2020 Qualifiers.
The Barcelona forward won the penalty Olivier Giroud converted midway through the second half to secure three points, inflicting a first home loss in a year on their hosts.
World champion France stumbled to a 2-0 defeat against Turkey in June, well beaten in Konya and condemned by critics who had come to expect success.
It remains the only blip in its campaign and France will book a place at Euro 2020 if it avenges that rare loss by beating Turkey at the Stade de France.
READ : Iceland 0-1 France: Giroud makes Iceland pay the penalty Griezmann told TF1 : "We've got an important match at home now. We suffered over there [in Turkey], so we’ll need to prepare well for this match."
He fell dramatically for the penalty against Iceland, but replays showed Griezmann was impeded and France was well worth its success against a home side who offered little attacking threat but defended doughtily.
"It was very difficult, a really hard match," Griezmann added. "We needed to take the three points and now we have an important game coming up at home."
Turkey and France sit on 18 points at the top of Group H, six clear of third-placed Iceland, meaning both are on the brink of qualification for next year's finals.
Didier Deschamps was satisfied with his team's display as it followed up a 4-0 home win over Iceland in March with a more attritional away success.
He told TF1 : "Firstly that's a victory here, it wasn't easy. We had the chance to get a second, they've been good on set-pieces.
"That was a man's match, there was commitment, we've responded by having a lot of the ball. We could have made it more comfortable by putting away the chances in the end. It's a good victory ahead of Monday's match."
Asked about a pre-match knock that kept midfielder N'Golo Kante out of the game, with Moussa Sissoko his late replacement, Deschamps said: "I don't think it's too serious for 'NG'."
As for whether Kante could face Turkey, Deschamps added: "I do not have the answer tonight."