Netherlands vs France. International Match.
Amsterdam ArenA.
Saturday 26 March 2016 15:38, UK
Euro 2016 hosts France kicked off their preparations for the tournament with a thrilling 3-2 win over the Netherlands on Friday night as both teams paid tribute to Dutch legend Johan Cruyff.
Antoine Griezmann's free-kick put France ahead after six minutes before Olivier Giroud doubled their advantage as the Netherlands found themselves two down before the planned applause on 14 minutes for Cruyff, who passed away on Thursday.
Luuk De Jong controversially pulled a goal back when he appeared to score via his arm on 47 minutes, and the Dutch looked set to snatch a draw as Ibrahim Afellay guided home with four minutes to go.
But France struck back immediately through Blaise Matuidi and held on for their sixth win in seven games, with Leicester's Frenchman N'Golo Kante also making his international debut in the second half.
Without a friendly victory over France since 1963, a nightmare first-half from the Netherlands saw them go two goals behind inside 13 minutes.
Dimitri Payet served warning with a low shot that forced Jasper Cillessen into a smart save, before Griezmann put the visitors in front.
The Atletico Madrid forward won a free-kick on the edge of the box and picked himself up to dispatch it into the top corner, giving the Dutch 'keeper no chance.
The visitors extended their lead when Giroud capitalised on poor defending to sweep home from eight yards after Matuidi's header, just seconds before the Dutch FA's planned tribute to Cruyff.
It was a fitting celebration of the legendary Dutchman's life as the game was paused and the Amsterdam ArenA broke out into applause.
Unfortunately for the hosts it did little to halt the flow of the match as France missed opportunities to add to their lead before the break.
Griezmann drew a reflex stop with a glancing effort before Virgil van Dijk almost conceded an own goal with a looping header, and it got worse for the Dutch when captain Wesley Sneijder was forced off with an apparent calf injury before the interval.
Netherlands boss Danny Blind introduced Afellay and Memphis Depay at half-time and it paid immediate dividends as De Jong turned home Depay's cross to reduce the deficit two minutes after the break, leaving Paul Pogba and Steve Mandanda to appeal in vain for handball.
The impressive Payet nearly restored France's two-goal advantage when he clipped the outside of Cillessen's post, before he teed up Paul Pogba, only for the Juventus man to miscue his header wide.
And it looked like the Netherlands, who failed to reach Euro 2016 after a disastrous qualifying campaign, would earn an unlikely draw when Afellay guided Depay's short corner past Mandanda.
But a sweeping move involving Payet and substitute Anthony Martial set Matuidi free, and the PSG midfielder made no mistake, tucking the ball past the advancing Cillessen to seal victory with three minutes to play.
