Party time: Cabaye celebrates scoring with Karim Benzema at the Donbass Arena

For a while it looked as though the game had absolutely no chance of restarting. The pitch near the two dugouts quickly became waterlogged and rumours began to circulate about the game being postponed until today.

However, the players were back about an hour after the original kick-off and combined to present us with a game worth all the fuss.

France should have led in the first period, Menez twice bringing saves from Andriy Pyatov. The Ukraine fourth-choice goalkeeper also saved superbly from a Philippe Mexes header.

At the other end, meanwhile, Andriy Shevchenko forced French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris into action with a sharp volley on the run. Eventually France scored early in the second half.

Menez might not have been on the field had the referee cautioned him for a late tackle on Yevhen Selin in the first half - he had already been booked - but he converted his chance superbly with his left foot when Benzema played him in, as did Cabaye when opportunity knocked 12 yards out soon after.

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