France's coach, Didier Deschamps, is lifted in the air by his team after it won its 2014 World Cup qualifying second-leg playoff match against Ukraine at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, on Tuesday. Gonzalo Fuentes / Reuters

France books its ticket to Brazil with remarkable comeback win

France coach Didier Deschamps admitted leading his side to the World Cup finals in dramatic fashion in its play-off against Ukraine on Tuesday ranked as one of his finest achievements in soccer.

Les Bleus defied expectations to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit and advance to next year's finals in Brazil with a remarkable performance at the Stade de France, triumphing 3-0 on the night.

It was the first time that any nation had recovered from a two-goal first-leg loss in a European playoff to qualify for the World Cup, as Mamadou Sakho and Karim Benzema hit the target before Oleg Gusev's 72nd-minute own goal decided the tie, and Deschamps was keen to savor the moment.

"I have lived through some great moments in my long career," said the 45-year-old, who skippered France to victory in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 during his playing days, while also captaining the Marseille side which won the 1993 Champions League.

"To take France to a World Cup is fabulous, especially after the first leg, where the result was not favorable."

Deschamps was thrown into the air by his players in the center-circle of the Stade de France at the end of the game, bringing back memories of the 1998 World Cup final, but he was emphatic all the credit for the result should go to his team.

"We had to turn it around and the merit goes to the players ... because what they did was great," he said. "I told them beforehand that we needed two great games. We failed in the first one but the second one was tremendous.

"We have achieved our objective so I am extremely satisfied for the players, my staff and for all of French football too. The presence of France in Brazil was very important."

There had been widespread speculation Deschamps would step down if his side became the first French team in two decades to miss out on qualifying for a major tournament, but instead the victory was followed by an announcement he would be extending his contract through to 2016, when France will host the European Championship.

Deschamps refused to discuss his side's prospects at the World Cup in any depth, but he did accept going to Brazil would serve as an important experience for the young players in his side ahead of the Euros.

"You don't go to a World Cup just to take part, but it will also help us prepare for Euro 2016," he said. "For the moment we are there and that is the most important thing."

Meanwhile, goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris also praised the manner in which the French side bounced back from a disastrous performance in Kiev on Friday which had left it staring at an agonizing World Cup exit.

"After the first leg, everyone still believed. We were well beaten there but we bounced back and played like real men," said the Tottenham Hotspur 'keeper, who had few saves to make in a match dominated by the home side.

"This was a historic night but now we have a World Cup to come and we need to make sure we perform well there."

For beaten Ukraine coach Mikhail Fomenko, the sensation was a very different one. His side saw its 12-game unbeaten run ended at the worst possible moment, although he was applauded by the Ukrainian media at his post-match media conference as he stated his intention to continue in the role.

"I am really sorry for the result but the fact we got this far is already something positive," said Fomenko, who took over at the end of last year.

"I can't say (France's performance) was a surprise for me because I know they are very strong and a top-level side. They wanted to satisfy their fans so they gave that little bit extra."

(China Daily 11/21/2013 page23)