SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) - Forwards Olivier Giroud and Karim Benzema each scored one goal and created another as a rampant France blew away Switzerland 5-2 on Friday to take control of Group E and all but seal a place in the knockout round.
"It was a great night for us. We hurt them with our quick attacks and with the variety of our play," France coach Didier Deschamps said. "You can always ask if it's us who played well or whether the opponent was weak, but I prefer to focus on how we played."
Giroud and Blasie Matuidi scored a minute apart and Mathieu Valbuena added another to give France a 3-0 halftime lead.
Benzema made up for a first-half penalty miss with a poacher's finish in the 67th, and then turned provider for Moussa Sissoko, who made it 5-0 with a neat side-footed effort in the 73rd.
Switzerland pulled two consolation goals back as Blerim Dzemaili scored with a free kick in the 81st and Granit Xhaka slotted in the second in the 87th.
Friday marked the fourth anniversary of France's infamous World Cup training ground strike four years ago in South Africa, when the players shamed a nation back home.
How different things look now.
France has scored eight goals in two games and Benzema could even afford to miss a penalty against a poor Swiss side that failed to live up to its reputation as one of the hardest teams around to break down.