Giroud double helps France sink Scotland in friendly

The Arsenal centre-forward was booed by a section of the France support prior to last Monday's 3-2 win against Cameroon but he netted in that game and his brace at the Stade Saint-Symphorien was a further indication that he has what it takes to lead an attack deprived of Karim Benzema. 

Giroud opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a cheeky back-heel and netted again 10 minutes before the interval, with his Arsenal colleague Laurent Koscielny making it three late in the first half before a 25,000 capacity crowd in the north-eastern city.

"It was a good scenario. We had an awful lot of chances in the second half and we could have added a few more goals," France coach Didier Deschamps told TF1 television. 

"It is always good for confidence, there were a lot of good things. Now we have just a little week left before the opening match." 

France's build-up to their Euros has been overshadowed by the Benzema affair with the Real Madrid striker sidelined due to his involvement in the Mathieu Valbuena sextape blackmail scandal. 

Injuries to key players have also disrupted their preparations but, in the rain, this was a near perfect evening and set Les Bleus up nicely for next Friday's Euro 2016 opener against Romania at the Stade de France.

"If there is a better team than them then we're in for a fantastic Euros," admitted Scotland manager Gordon Strachan, whose side were well beaten.

- Kante gets chance -

Outstanding this season for English champions Leicester City, N'Golo Kante will hope to start in that game after coming into the midfield for the injured Lassana Diarra in the only change to the team that defeated Cameroon. 

Giroud again led the attack, flanked by Kingsley Coman and Dimitri Payet, and it was the Arsenal striker who got the opening goal, meeting a low Bacary Sagna cross from the right with a fine back-flick into the net. 

The home side had already come close to scoring before that, with only a great David Marshall save preventing Grant Hanley from turning a Payet free-kick into his own goal. 

Strachan's side are the only nation from the British Isles who will not be present at Euro 2016 and the abject nature of their display summed up why. 

After a meek 1-0 defeat to Italy last weekend, they once again offered next to nothing going forward and, after Marshall saved from a stinging Coman strike, France increased their lead on 35 minutes. 

Scotland captain Darren Fletcher conceded possession to Payet inside his own half and the West Ham United player surged forward before trying his luck from range. 

Marshall could not hold the ball and Giroud turned in the rebound for his seventh goal in France's last seven games.

Payet was again involved when France scored their third four minutes later. His corner from the left was helped on by Patrice Evra and Koscielny headed home for his first international goal. 

Antoine Griezmann and Anthony Martial came on for the second half and Giroud went off to great acclaim to make way for Andre-Pierre Gignac in the 63rd minute. 

Seconds later Paul Pogba struck the post with a curling free-kick from 20 yards, before Marshall rushed out to deny Gignac, who had been played in by Griezmann. 

To Scotland's relief, France could not add to their advantage, but the hosts now look ready for the serious stuff to commence.