LAURENT BLANC’S reign as France coach began with a 2-1 defeat as his new look side — including six debutants — were sunk by Erik Huseklepp’s brace in Oslo.

Montenegro 2 Northern Ireland 0

Montenegro 2 Wales 1

AS IF the result in Dublin wasn’t enough of a bubble-burster, Italy had to go and canter to the most straightforward of wins on what was supposed to be a potentially tricky, if short, hop across the Adriatic Sea.