FT: France 1-1 Paraguay. As I said earlier on, France were never really good enough tonight, despite a host of chances and particularly bright performances from Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann when he replaced Rémy. The pint-sized Marseille man also displayed the usual courage and fight that we have come to expect from the Frenchman. A warm up game exists for a reason, and the team needs to regroup quickly for next week’s match vs Jamaica. The inclusion of Karim Benzema and Franck Ribery will give Les Bleus a necessary boost.
21:53 GMT: Late, late chance for Giroud after wonderful setting up from Griezmann, but the Arsenal man had to contend with a difficult angle and he lofts over.
21:51 GMT: Terrible defensive set-up for the free kick from France allows Caceres to slip through unmarked and shoot home. France have never really been good enough this evening.
21:48 GMT: GOAL: France 1-1 Paraguay (Caceres)
21:47 GMT: Paul Pogba is yellow carded for a poorly-timed challenge.
21:43 GMT: A corner comes in and Giroud gets on the end of it, but his header is then rebounded into the path of Griezmann, who deftly curls the ball over the defenders and into the bottom of the far corner. Breakthrough.
21:42 GMT: GOAL: France 1-0 Paraguay. Griezmann!
21:40 GMT: Lovely play by Moussa Sissoko who bursts into the area but his cross is put out for a throw.
21:38 GMT: France with a promising free kick position well won by Pogba. Handbags have ensued.
21:36 GMT: Romero off. Gonzalez on.
21:34 GMT: Cardozo off. Orue on.
21:31 GMT: Moussa Sissoko replaces Mathieu Valbuena.
21:29 GMT: Mathieu Valbuena running on all cylinders now and fighting for every ball. Coronel off for Nunez for Paraguay.
21:27 GMT: The resulting Paraguayan free kick causes the French defence considerable trouble before Benitez’s shot is deflected off Grenier for a corner.
21:25 GMT: Bacary Sagna is booked for persistent fouling.
21:24 GMT: Paraguayan change Benitez replaces Santa Cruz. Just beforehand, Valbuena broke through in the area on the left hand side and his ball across the box was diverted at the last moment by the Paraguayan defence, with Sagna looming.
21:22 GMT: Clement Grenier and Antoine Griezmann on for Loic Remy and Blaise Matuidi.
21:22 GMT: Remy has a free header in the box, but straight at the goalkeeper.
21:20 GMT: France have had 65% possession thus far, but the link-up play has not been perfect. Another chance for Matuidi who takes a heavy touch in the area and allows the Paraguayan keeper to save.
21:18 GMT: Valbuena with a delightful ball in and Giroud directs the header well and forces the save and from the consequent corner Giroud heads on target again and it is beaten behind.
21:15 GMT: The build up play has been disjointed from France throughout this game and frustration is building here in the Allianz Riviera. Deschamps is shouting, as Giroud’s flick comes to nothing.
21:12 GMT: Entering a rather scrappy phase of play here, with Pogba in particular losing the ball on several occasions and allowing Paraguay to enjoy some attacking possession, but not to fashion a chance.
21:10 GMT: Paraguay earn a free kick after Sagna hammered Rojas and the eventual effort forces Lloris down low.
21:08 GMT: France have come out the tunnel with more purpose this second half. Nice one-two play between Pogba and Giroud, and Valbuena gets a header away which is angled wide. Promising.
21:05 GMT: Early chance for France as Remy has space down the left hand side to whip a good ball in for Giroud who heads wide. Matuidi was free in the middle if the Arsenal man had left it.
21:02 GMT: Rio Mavuba and Eliaquim Mangala replace Mamadou Sakho and Yohan Cabaye at half time.
HT: France 0-0 Paraguay. A feisty affair, with France asking the majority of the questions. Remy and Matuidi have squandered several half chances but there is a lack of intensity about the French game thus far. Improvements expected in the second half.
20:44 GMT: Mamadou Sakho deftly wins the ball back off Roque Santa Curz after a rare, promising Paraguayan attack, and then there is some off the ball antics between Evra and the Paraguayan right winger. They have hugged it out though.
20:42 GMT: Chance! Remy fails to control the ball but Matuidi takes over and sprays his shot wide.
20:41 GMT: France win another free-kick after Remy is wrongly adjudged to have been fouled. Valbuena messes the delivery up.
20:39 GMT: Giroud wins a foul midway through France’s attacking half and another strong Valbuena delivery eludes Evra and two others. France in the ascendency now.
20:37 GMT: Looks like a twisted ankle there for Mendieta and he will be replaced after being carried off on a stretcher.
20:35 GMT: Lovely corner delivery from Valbuena, after earlier excellent work from Sagna to earn it in the first place. But somehow the ball in eludes everyone and is eventually scrambled away before Mendieta wins another foul! And now he’s down holding his foot.
20:33 GMT: Mendieta draws a couple of fouls which expunges the French pressure that was previously building. Mendieta’s latest free kick from the left hand side is well struck but over Lloris’ goal.
20:31 GMT: Lovely! Wonderful close control from Olivier Giroud who brings the ball down before angling a cross in to Loic Remy who goes for the overhead, which comes off his shin and out.
20:30 GMT: Paul Pogba jinks left, then right before unleashing a shot which is wide of the goalkeeper’s right hand post.
20:29 GMT: Chance for Paraguay. Shot from Caceres after deceiving Matuidi. His shot hits Sakho which forces Lloris into an uncomfortable save. Corner.
20:27 GMT: Paul Pogba gallops forward and finally sprays it out to Remy, who’s shot is into the side netting.
20:26 GMT: Mendieta causes a long stoppage in play after holding his face. Seemed like a fair duel between him and Sakho.
20:22 GMT: Blaise Matuidi tries a shot from outside the area, but it is along the ground and easy for the rather flamboyant keeper to save.
20:21 GMT: Nice flick from Matuidi into the path of Giroud who has a shot in the penalty area, but it is blocked by Cardozo.
20:17 GMT: Yellow card for Olivier Giroud for thumping the ball on the ground and getting angry with the assistant referee for awarding a contentious throw in decision.
20:13 GMT: Paul Pogba uses brute strength to win the ball back before spreading wide to Evra, who skins three defenders before being hacked down. Free kick.
20:09 GMT: Nice build up from France after an initially poor flick from Giroud, but the ball is regathered by Cabaye who gives Remy a clear shot on goal which he promptly scuffs.
20:07 GMT: No clearcut chances of yet, nice interchange between Matuidi and Valbuena ends with nothing.
20:04 GMT: Through ball from Cabaye to Remy causes Paraguay problems as goalkeeper Da Silva inexplicably rushes out. Remy’s cross is poor though.
20:03 GMT: Excellent defensive work from Bacary Sagna, who puts a dangerous Paraguayan cross out for a corner. Paraguay starting fiercely in the opening exchanges.
20:01 GMT: Laurent Koscielny with a bit of a wobbly start and Cabaye is the latest French player to be dispossessed. Lackadaisical start from France.
19:59 GMT: The anthems have been sung, kickoff is imminent.
France line-up with a variation of the 4-3-3 formation, with Valbuena expected to play down the left, and Remy down the right. Olivier Giroud heads the attacking trio, with the strong midfield threesome of Matuidi, Pogba and Cabaye.
The centre back pairing remains Sakho and Koscielny, with Sagna and Lloris additions in defence from their match against Norway earlier this week.
This is the first time that the Allianz Riviera is filled in the stadium’s history, 35,200.
Paraguay XI vs France: Silva, Ayala, Ortiz, Alonso, Coronel, Caceres. Oviedo, Samudo, Mendieta Alfonso, Romero, Santa Cruz.
19:45 GMT: France XI vs Paraguay: Lloris, Sagna, Sakho, Koscielny, Evra, Pogba, Cabaye, Matuidi, Valbuena, Rémy, Giroud.
Good evening and welcome to live commentary of France’s 2nd World Cup warmup match, against Paraguay.
