France's Olivier Giroud and team-mates celebrate at the end of the match.
France may have ousted rivals
Germany for the first time in 58 years but it will mean nothing if they
lose Sunday's Euro 2016 final against a Portugal team that have had more
recovery time, said Didier Deschamps.
Two goals by Antoine Griezmann and a strong defensive unity saw the
host nation home against a German side that were dominant yet unable to
break through in the final third of the pitch.
It sets up an intriguing meeting on Sunday with Portugal who have lost their last 10 games against France going back to 1978.
"We have three days before the final, it's very short so we have to savour this victory," coach Deschamps told reporters.
"It's an important step forward but the most important step is
Sunday. We're going to do everything in our power to go into Sunday's
game in the best possible condition."
Deschamps, who met reporters much later than expected, said he was
delayed as he soaked up some of the atmosphere after France defeated
Germany in a major competition for the first time since the 1958 World
Cup.
"It's an excellent result and it's been a long time since we beat
Germany but it gives us nothing today. There is now a title to play for
against Portugal," he added.
France Head Coach Didier Deschamps at the end of the game.
The coach, who won the European
Championship as a player in 2000, bemoaned the calendar that gives his
players one day less to recover than Portugal.
"Just because we are at home and beat Germany doesn't give us extra
powers. They believe in themselves and we believe in ourselves too,"
explained Deschamps.
Thanking the passionate fans in Marseille, who gave his side a bit
extra when they were in difficulty, Deschamps said he hoped the win
would give the French population something to cheer after a difficult
period.
The 2-0 win was the same as when the two sides met in Paris in
November when Islamist militants struck at the Stade de France national
stadium and other sites across Paris.
"It's a great emotion, we had to suffer but never gave up and that's
great for me. This is a great story, the players wrote history by
knocking out Germany," added Deschamps.
"We don't have the power to solve people's problems but we can gave
them a bit so they can forget their worries. We generate passion and
fervour, we can see that and in France today we gave them a little joy."
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