Source: Team_Talk
Gallant Gallas earns Les Bleus a draw
William Gallas scored a second-half equaliser as France battled to a 1-1 draw with Tunisia in a World Cup warm-up game on Sunday night.[LNB] Gallas came into the French training camp in Tignes hoping to prove his fitness for South Africa after missing the final few weeks of Arsenal's Premier League campaign with a calf injury.[LNB]He made a 45-minute appearance against Costa Rica on Wednesday night and lasted 63 minutes in Rades.[LNB]His main contribution was to grab France's goal, converting Yoann Gourcuff's second-half free-kick as Les Bleus hit back after conceding an early opener to Issam Jemaa.[LNB]France started brightly, Florent Malouda's third minute shot flashing wide.[LNB]But Les Bleus soon found themselves behind after conceding to Tunisia's first attack of the evening.[LNB]Mehdi Nafti made the burst into the box before picking out Fahid Ben Khalfallah and his cross was turned in by Jemaa at the far post.[LNB]France tried to respond but three long-range efforts from Franck Ribery failed to test home keeper Aymen Mathlouthi.[LNB]Gallas then headed Malouda's corner over the bar as the French continued to press.[LNB]They were finding it hard to break through a stubborn Tunisia rearguard, however.[LNB]Nicolas Anelka fired a 20-yard free-kick straight into the wall before Mathlouthi saved well from Jeremy Toulalan and Ribery.[LNB]France's best chance of the first half came just before the break when Malouda tested the home keeper with a fierce drive which Mathlouthi did well to parry away for a corner.[LNB]France boss Raymond Domenech made two changes at the break, bringing on Thierry Henry and Marc Planus for Ribery and Eric Abidal, but persisted with the 4-3-3 formation.[LNB]Mathlouthi also went off, replaced by Hamdi Kasraoui in goal.[LNB]The changes did not alter the course of the game immediately with the visitors having the better of possession but failing to create much in the final third.[LNB]Indeed, it took a set-piece to get France back on level terms.[LNB]Gourcuff whipped in a free-kick from the left and Gallas got ahead of his marker to guide the ball past Kasraoui.[LNB]The goal prompted wholesale changes from Domenech with Anelka, Patrice Evra, Gallas and Gourcuff all going off with Andre-Pierre Gignac, Gael Clichy, Sebastien Squillaci and Abou Diaby entering the fray.[LNB]And as so often happens the changes disrupted the flow of the game.[LNB]The only chance of a poor final quarter came when Malouda fired in a shot which was parried by Kasraoui.
