Fofana’s goal plea
YOUSSOUF FOFANA doesn’t care who scores for France just as long as someone breaks the team’s drought soon.
The Monaco midfielder was the last player to score a goal from open play in a competitive game, 496 minutes ago against Greece last November.
Since then, two own goals and a Kylian Mbappe penalty are all France have to show for their efforts in a little more than five games as they prepare to take on rampant Spain in Munich tomorrow for a place in the Euros final.
“Scoring is the aim in football,” said Fofana. “When you see our cries of joy, it’s more in relief, like that moment of qualification or the goal that Randal Kolo Muani caused against Belgium.
“It’s more of a relief because at 0-0, the more time passes, the more the pressure increases.
“We want to score but as long as the ball goes into the net, it doesn’t matter who scores. It counts the same.”
France ended goalless in their quarter-final against Portugal and talisman Mbappe was already off the pitch before the penalty shoot-out began.
But Fofana revealed the forward still played his part by delivering a pep talk.
“When he talks about penalties before a shoot-out, we listen to him – period,” he said. “I only know one player who has done that.
“Whether it’s him or a player like Antoine Griezmann, they have done things that most players haven’t done. So when they talk, we listen.”
Spain have not had problems in front of goal, with 11 in five games in Germany, although they needed 29 minutes of extra time to break the hosts’ resistance in the last eight.
And Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella says their success so far is down to a powerful team spirit.
He said: “We’re here for a long time with not all that many things to do but this group’s union is special and important.
“I say bring the game on, then we’ll take the last step.”