France came from behind to beat Sweden 2-1 with goals from Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet on Friday to move clear atop 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying Group A.
With both sides neck-and-neck at the top of the section before kick-off, the game was likely to be keenly contested, but the hosts attempted to quickly make it a more one-sided affair.
Payet tested Robin Olsen in the visitors' goal with a curling shot (14') before teeing up Pogba for an effort a minute later - the world's most expensive footballer saw his shot from just outside the box barely clear Olsen's crossbar (15'). Moussa Sissoko then fired just wide as Les Bleus threatened (21').
Sweden produced precious little going forward before the break, but Toulouse FC forward Ola Toivonen might have seriously troubled Hugo Lloris had the France captain not been spared getting his hands dirty by a handily-timed block by Laurent Koscielny (23').
The visitors started the second half strongly. Ludwig Augustinsson's cross caused a wave of panic in the France box (53') before Emil Forsberg broke the deadlock with a superb free-kick (54').
Another brilliant set-piece - this time from Payet - brought France level, though the former Olympique de Marseille man's delivery required a finishing touch from Pogba to end up in the net via the crossbar (58').
The equaliser sparked the hosts and Olsen struggled to hold a Raphaël Varane long-range shot (61') and then had to get behind an Antoine Griezmann effort (63') before the FC Copenhagen spilled a cross and Payet coolly steered the loose ball into the bottom corner (65').
Lloris was called into action to deny Toulouse's Jimmy Durmaz (67') while Olsen held Blaise Matuidi's long-range shot (73') before Griezmann (84') and substitute Isaac Kiese Thelin (85') of Girondins de Bordeaux went desperately close at either end to adding to the scoreline.
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