THE pressure is again building on France coach Raymond Domenech after a humiliating 3-1 loss to Austria gave Les Bleus a dismal start in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.
Domenech kept his job despite France's embarrassing group-stage exit from the European Championships, but anything less than a victory against Serbia at Stade de France on Wednesday could end his increasingly fraught reign.
Domenech prefers to
look to the future, and hopes his beleaguered team can turn things around over the nine remaining qualifying matches in Group 7, which includes Romania, Lithuania, and Faroe Islands.
"Qualification is achieved over a series of matches. There is one coming on Wednesday against Serbia and we will have to be ready, with will and determination," Domenech said after the loss to Austria. "We will have to fight until the end."
Domenech may not be around long enough to get the chance.
In July, the French Football Federation voted to keep Domenech, but unconfirmed media reports stated that the FFF gave him a target of taking at least five points from France's first three qualifiers, meaning France now have to beat Serbia.
France have not won a competitive match since beating Lithuania 2-0 in October 2007, and any ball coming into the penalty box these days has the defenders in a blind panic. Against Austria, two first-half goals from free kicks and a penalty conceded by Roma's Philippe Mexes cancelled out a lone goal by Sidney Govou, his third in two games and a rare positive note for Domenech.
Mexes, dropped by Domenech for Euro 2008 and then recalled after veteran Lilian Thuram's retirement, was at fault for all three goals, including a comical rugby-style tackle on Marc Janko midway through the second half for the penalty.
Meanwhile, Hearts winger Saulius Mikoliunas was on target as Lithuania defeated Romania 3-0 in Bucharest. The Tynecastle midfielder grabbed the second goal in a surprise Group 7 result that the Romanian Football Federation president described as "shameful".
The full article contains 341 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
