France secured an impressive 2-1 win over Brazil in an entertaining international friendly at Gillette Stadium, overcoming a second-half red card in a statement win ahead of the World Cup.
The contest began at a high tempo, with both sides showing attacking intent but struggling to create clear-cut chances in the early stages.
Brazil threatened first, with Raphinha blazing over from a promising position, while Gabriel Martinelli also went close with a curling effort. France, meanwhile, looked dangerous on the counter, with Kylian Mbappe and Hugo Ekitike probing the Brazilian backline.
The breakthrough arrived in the 32nd minute and came from a moment of quality. Ousmane Dembele threaded a perfectly weighted pass through the defence, allowing Mbappe to race clear before delicately dinking the ball over Ederson.
Brazil responded but lacked any precision in the final third. Vinicius Junior and Martinelli both found space in wide areas, yet France’s backline, ensured Mike Maignan remained largely untested before the break.
The second half brought a shift in momentum. Brazil started brightly, with substitute Luiz Henrique injecting energy into their attack and forcing Maignan into action.
Upamecano red makes life difficult for France
However, the key turning point came in the 55th minute when Dayot Upamecano was shown a straight red card following a VAR review for denying Wesley Franca a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Reduced to 10 men, France were expected to come under sustained pressure, and Brazil did push forward in search of an equaliser.
Yet, against the run of play, Les Bleus doubled their lead in the 65th minute. Dembele’s replacement, Michael Olise, produced a superb through ball to release Ekitike, who showed composure to lift a delicate finish over Ederson and make it 2-0.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, France frustrated Brazil’s attempts to break them down. Ibrahima Konate and debutant Maxence Lacroix were particularly solid at the back, repelling waves of Brazilian pressure.
Brazil eventually found a way back into the game in the 78th minute. Following a set-piece, Casemiro kept the ball alive in the area, allowing Luiz Henrique to set up Gleison Bremer, who bundled the ball home from close range to reduce the deficit.
The final stages were frantic, with Brazil throwing numbers forward in search of an equaliser. Vinicius Junior was heavily involved, driving at the French defence and creating dangerous situations, while Bremer nearly turned provider with a late cross that just evaded his team-mates inside the box.
France, however, held on under the pressure.
