World Cup

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Attendance: 43,012

World Cup | Group Stage

Jun 15, 2014 at 8pm UK

France
3-0
Honduras Honduras

Benzema (45' pen., 72'), Valladares (48' og.)

FT(HT: 1-0)

Palacios (43')

Team News: Arsenal duo Laurent Koscielny, Olivier Giroud left out for France's World Cup opener

By Pascal Lemesre, Football League Editor

Published: June 15 2014 | 19:21

Last updated: June 16 2014 | 18:40

Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny and Olivier Giroud are both on the France bench for Les Bleus' opening World Cup fixture against Honduras.

Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny and Olivier Giroud are both on the France bench for Les Bleus' opening World Cup fixture against Honduras this evening.

Liverpool's Mamadou Sakho gets the nod ahead of Koscielny in central defence, while Giroud has to settle for a place in the dugout as Karim Benzema leads the line.

Mathieu Valbuena and Antoine Griezmann start either side of the Real Madrid man, with a midfield trio of Yohan Cabaye, Blaise Matuidi and Paul Pogba behind.

The Hondurans, meanwhile, go with the same XI that drew with England in their final warm-up friendly a week ago.

France: Lloris; Debuchy, Varane, Sakho, Evra; Cabaye, Matuidi, Pogba; Valbuena, Benzema, Griezmann

France pose for a team photo prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group E match between France and Honduras at Estadio Beira-Rio on June 15, 2014 © Getty Images

Honduras: Valladares; Beckeles, Figueroa, Bernardez, Izaguirre; Chavez, Palacios, Garrido, Espinoza; Bengtson, Costly

Honduras pose before the Group E football match between France and Honduras at the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 15, 2014 © Getty Images