We must be careful not to lapse into euphoria, warns Domenech

FRANCE coach Raymond Domenech has warned his players against complacency after Les Bleus’ 3-0 win over Ivory Coast in a friendly on Wednesday.

Zinedine Zidane scored his side’s second goal to mark his international comeback along with Lilian Thuram and Claude Makelele.

“I think it’s what we had to do,” said Zidane, who now wears the captain’s armband.

“We needed a win. We know what’s left to do but it’s good to win against a good side scoring a lot of goals.”

However, Domenech said the most important games have yet to be played. “We have to be careful not to lapse into euphoria. We’ll have to develop what we’ve shown tonight against the Faroe Islands and Ireland,” he said.

“We have been able to suffer in difficult times. It shows we are a good side. But it was close as Ivory Coast could have levelled.”

Zidane echoed his coach’s point of view. “The most important games are ahead of us,” he said.

France resume their World Cup European Group Four qualifying campaign on September 3 when they take on the Faroe Islands in Lens four days before a mouth-watering trip to Lansdowne Road.

The Real Madrid playmaker, who made his international comeback 11 years to the day after winning his first cap in a 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic in Bordeaux, said he was moved by wearing the blue shirt again.

“It’s a special feeling to wear the France shirt again. With a goal, it’s still better. We did what we had to do.”

Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, who rounded off the scoring in the 27th minute after being perfectly set up by a Vikash Dhorasoo through pass, said that France managed to play as a team.

“The most important thing is that we enjoyed the game. We knew it would be a difficult match but we played collectively.

“This is something we failed to do before. The return of the old guard helped,” he said.

“The light has returned,” headlined L’Equipe sports daily on its front page above a huge photograph of the man known affectionately as “Zizou.”