Internet Desk: France defeated Albania 2-0 in their second Group A game to earn a berth in the knockout stage of the European Championship on Wednesday.
Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann were surprisingly dropped from the starting XI in favour of Manchester United’s Anthony Martial and Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman, but the Atletico Madrid forward made his presence felt with a goal in the 90th minute.
France had struggled to create quality chances in the first half, with the new introductions creating little danger despite the hosts enjoying the majority of possession.
It was Albania who finished the first half on top, with Ermir Lenjani having a shot blocked from a corner and Ledian Memushaj curling a free-kick over the bar.
Martial eventually made way for Pogba at the start of the second half, with Coman coming off for Griezmann in the 68th minute, and the Atleti man made a difference in the final minute — his snap header from a Adil Rami cross beating Albanian keeper Etrit Berisha at the far post.
But Albania went closer as a cross into the box deflected off Bacary Sagna and hit the post, with Memushaj unable to turn in the rebound from the ground.
From then on, it was the hosts who created the better chances, Pogba hitting a half volley over the bar, Giroud heading against the post and Sagna firing off target from inside the box.
Dimitri Payet then completed the scoreline in second-half stoppage time with a well-taken goal — cutting in onto his right foot and curling around a diving Berisha.
France, on six points, will play their final group game on Sunday against Switzerland, who drew 1-1 with Romania earlier in the day, in Lille.
First-time Euro 2016 participants Albania, who failed to collect their first point of the competition with the result, will face Romania that same day.