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Portugal 0 France 1: Late Valbuena set-piece clinches deserved win

Substitute Mathieu Valbuena's superb free-kick gave France a deserved 1-0 friendly victory over Portugal in Lisbon.

France dominated a poor Portugal side for much of the contest, but had to wait until the 85th minute before the Lyon midfielder curled in a 20-yard free-kick to clinch the win for Didier Deschamps' side.

Defeats in France's two previous outings, against Belgium and Albania, prompted Deschamps to call for desire and aggression and his players responded with an attacking display full of guile and intent.

A minute later, Evra's trailing arm accidentally cut the face of Ricardo Carvalho, who had to leave the pitch to have the bleeding wound tended to, but the referee saw no intent from the Frenchman. 

The game's first real chance fell to the impressive Blaise Matuidi after half an hour, when he turned his man on the edge of the box and unleashed a low drive, only to see it saved by the feet of Rui Patricio.

With Karim Benzema marked almost out of the game, Matuidi pushed up to give France an extra option in attack, but he failed to hit the target when Bacary Sagna's cross found him at the far post.

Patricio saved well at the feet of Griezmann after he exchanged a neat one-two with Matuidi, and a similarly crisp passing move saw Schneiderlin tee up Benzema for his first chance soon after, but the Portugal goalkeeper was equal to his shot.

France remained the better of the two sides, and Patricio made a brilliant save from a dipping Benzema free-kick from all of 25 yards to keep the scores level.

Deschamps rang the changes late on, giving a debut to Manchester United new boy Anthony Martial, and the visitors' continued attacks paid off in some style when Jose Fonte was pulled up for a foul on Griezmann. Valbuena stepped up to hook a superb shot over the wall and into the net.