England 2 - France 0: Alli and Rooney score at Wembley as fans unite against attacks

Dele Alli scored the opener on an emotional night at Wembley

WHO can ever say again that international friendlies are meaningless?

 

Wembley was awash with meaning just four days after the atrocities in Paris as football united to send out a message of resilience to the world. It was never less about the winning and more about the taking part.

But time is also a great healer. While it was foremost a night of liberte, egalite and fraternite, it was also match no. 950 for England and the 31st meeting between the sides.

The game will always mean a first international start for both Eric Dier and Dele Alli. For Roy Hodgson, it meant another chance to see if Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane could hit it off in the same team from the start.

 

Most importantly, it was an opportunity, too, for the French players - those deeply affected individuals asked to step up to the plate with little or no personal consultation to serve their nation's greater good - to begin to lay down a foundation.

For this was the first step towards making Euro 2016 something for the French people to cheer proudly about in their own reclaimed streets come the summer.

So yes, even on a purely football basis, meaning needs to be found in last night's remarkable diplomatic exercise if sport is to show it really can help patch up wounds that run so deep. The decision to go ahead with the fixture deserved as much.

 

Wembley was lit up on French colours for the friendly

Try telling Alli his 25-yarder from absolutely nowhere in the 40th minute didn't count!

The French had started brightly with a Yohan Cabaye effort from 20 yards the first to register an interest as it flew narrowly over the bar.

Alli, on the other hand, appeared to be suffering from early nerves when he missed a chance to control a brilliant diagonal pass from Spurs team-mate Kane to spurn England's first real sight of goal.

 

Wreaths were laid before kick off in homage to Friday's victims

Rooney hit a 25-yard free kick tamely straight at Lloris but 10 minutes later was unlucky when he burst through on goal only to shoot inches wide with a rising blast. Again, Kane had been the provider.

That opening goal - from an opportunity earned by Alli himself when he got up from his own crunching tackle 40 yards from goal to stride goalwards in possession - was symptomatic of the fact the England midfield were gradually beginning to overrun their opponents. Perhaps events of the week were finally catching up with the French players.

Clearly, the visitors were struggling to match the 19-year-old's energy. Half-time offered no respite. Another fierce tackle, this time on substitute Paul Pogba, allowed Alli to tee up Raheem Sterling wide on the left and his perfect cross was thumped in at the far post by Rooney within just two minutes of the restart.

 

Pogba came close to giving France something football-wise to take away from their visit to Wembley, a shot which grazed the bar of substitute England goalkeeper Jack Butland's crossbar. Similarly, Anthony Martial could not quite find a finish to a wriggling run through the England defence.

Instead, they take back with them only the heartfelt entente cordiale of their rival fans. They probably won't begrudge them seeing such a promising England performance in return.

ENGLAND (4-2-3-1): Hart (Butland 45); Clyne, Cahill, Stones, Gibbs; Dier, Alli; Sterling (Lallana 68), Rooney, Barkley; Kane.

FRANCE (4-3-3): Lloris; Sagna, Koscielny, Varane, Digne; Matuidi (Pogba 45), Schneiderlin, Cabaye (Diarra 57); Ben Arfa (Coman 45), Gignac (Giroud 57), Martial (Greizmann 67).

Referee: J Eriksson (Sweden).