Toon Players Star In French Victory

Last updated : 06 June 2012 By Footy Mad - Editor

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Toon midfielder Cabaye again started for Les Bleus in their final friendly game before next Monday’s Euro 2012 clash with England.

Cabaye (pictured right) came close to scoring in the first half with a 25-yard effort which flew just wide of the post.

He was withdrawn on the hour, Ben Arfa coming on as a late substitute and impressing with several mazy runs.

Karim Benzema scored twice as France completed their preparations for Euro 2012 with a convincing 4-0 win over Estonia on Tuesday night.

Les Bleus took the lead through Franck Ribery before Benzema struck either side of half-time to put them firmly in the driving seat.

Substitute Jeremy Menez then wrapped up the victory in stoppage time to cap a commanding performance in Le Mans.

France will fly out to Ukraine on Wednesday before opening their European campaign against England on Monday.

Meanwhile Euro 2012 co-hosts Ukraine went down 2-0 against Turkey in their final friendly before the tournament, but their first opponents Sweden enjoyed a fillip with a 2-1 win over Serbia.

The pair will go head to head in Kiev next Monday before further Group D games against England and France.

Ukraine's preparations - they have had only friendlies to fine-tune plans for the event due to not having had to qualify - had been going swimmingly, with last Monday's thumping 4-0 victory over Estonia in Austria their fifth win in six games.

But they had no answer this evening as Turkey, who missed out on this summer's competition, ran out winners in Ingolstadt, Germany, thanks to goals from Caner Erkin and Mustafa Pektemek.

Fenerbahce winger Erkin set the ball rolling on the half-hour mark when he slotted home a low, left-footed shot from Pektemek's pass.

Besiktas striker Pektemek doubled the Turks' advantage 20 minutes from time, latching onto Tunay Torun's cross and finding the bottom-right corner from close range.

Turkey - 3-1 winners away to Portugal last week - could have gone three up moments later, but Real Madrid midfielder Hamit Altintop's curling free-kick struck the bar.

Ukraine came to life a little in the final stages - Yevhen Seleznyov had a drive parried by Turkey goalkeeper Fehmi Mert Gunok and fellow substitute Andriy Shevchenko smashed a shot against the bar - but they could not find the breakthrough.

Sweden will head to Kiev on a winning note, though, after edging past Serbia at Stockholm's Rasunda Stadium tonight.

AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the winner from the penalty spot seven minutes after the break, Ola Toivonen having been fouled by Damir Kahriman.

PSV striker Toivonen earlier headed Sweden ahead in the 23rd minute - after Serbia goalkeeper Branimir Aleksic had fumbled Rasmus Elm's corner - only to see his effort cancelled out four minutes later by Neven Subotic's header.