World Cup

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Attendance: 51,003

World Cup | Group Stage

Jun 20, 2014 at 8pm UK

Switzerland Switzerland
2-5
France

Dzemaili (81'), Xhaka (87')

FT(HT: 0-3)

Giroud (17'), Matuidi (18'), Valbuena (40'), Benzema (67'), Sissoko (73')

France cruise past Switzerland

By Sian Cowper, Reporter | 20 June 2014

France close in on a place in the last 16 at the World Cup following a 5-2 win over Switzerland.

France have all but secured their place in the last 16 at the World Cup after thrashing Switzerland 5-2 in Salvador this evening.

France's forward Karim Benzema (front R) vies for the ball with Switzerland's midfielder Gokhan Inler on June 20, 2014 © Getty Images

The French team looked the stronger of the two from the start as Karim Benzema narrowly missed the target with a curling effort inside the opening 10 minutes.

The deadlock was broken just 17 minutes in when Olivier Giroud found the back of the net with a powerful header from a corner.

France's forward Olivier Giroud (top R) celebrates scoring his team's first goal during a Group E football match against Switzerland on June 20, 2014 © Getty Images

The lead was doubled less than 20 seconds after the restart when the Swiss side gave the ball away on the edge of the box, allowing Blaise Matuidi to drill the ball in low.

Granit Xhaka thought that he had pulled one back for Switzerland in the first half when he slotted the ball past Hugo Lloris, but the midfielder was adjudged to have been offside.

Blaise Matuidi of France shoots and scores France's second goal past goalkeeper Diego Benaglio of Switzerland on June 20, 2014 © Getty Images

France could have added a third when they were awarded a penalty shortly after the half-hour mark, but Benzema's effort from the spot was saved by Diego Benaglio, before Yohan Cabaye thumped the rebound onto the crossbar.

However, Mathieu Valbuena did make it three before the break when he tapped in from a Giroud cross from close range.

France's midfielder Mathieu Valbuena (2nd R) kicks the ball past Switzerland's goalkeeper Diego Benaglio (back L) to score his team's third goal on June 20, 2014 © Getty Images

Switzerland fought hard to try to pull one back early in the second half, but Benzema extended the lead for Didier Deschamps's men.

France continued to press and made it five when Moussa Sissoko hit the ball from the edge of the area following a Benzema through-ball, leaving Switzerland facing their heaviest ever defeat at the World Cup.

Moussa Sissoko of France celebrates scoring his team's fifth goal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group E match against Switzerland on June 20, 2014 © Getty Images

However, the Swiss side were able to made the scoreline more respectable in the closing stages, as Blerim Dzemaili guided the ball into the bottom corner from a 35-yard free kick, before Xhaka volleyed home from close range a few minutes later.

Benzema found the back of the net again deep into stoppage time, but the referee had already blown the full-time whistle when he took the shot.

Cabaye picked up a booking late on which rules him out of the final match of the group stages for France, having already received a yellow card earlier in the competition.

France will be assured of a place in the last 16 if the other sides in Group E play to a draw later tonight.