France got back on a winning course after its loss to Scotland and Thierry Henry moved closer to Michel Platini's French national team record for goals. Playing against the Faeroe Islands was a good tonic for both.
Henry's 22nd-minute goal Wednesday helped Les Bleus topple the overwhelmed Faerosese 5-0 and put the Arsenal striker within three of Platini's record.
``It's not something I think about when I go out on the pitch,'' Henry said about Platini's 41-goal mark. ``But if I do beat the record it will obviously be an honour for me.''
Henry's performance had a little bit of everything the striker is known for: great skill, astute passing, an unselfish attitude and sometimes wasteful finishing.
He set up the opening goal for Louis Saha after only 36 seconds with a headed pass across goal that left the Manchester United striker with a simple tap-in.
``I saw that I had a tight angle and that it would be hard for me to finish,'' Henry said. ``I saw Louis on the other side and tried to get it to him.''
Later in the first-half, Henry somehow scooped a header wide from three metres.
``If you look at the replay you'll see the ball was behind me actually,'' Henry explained. But it appeared an easy header and the goal was open.
Henry's goal came when Saha turned inside the penalty area fed an unmarked Henry, who rolled the ball over the line and coolly lifted his arm in the air.
He spent the remainder of the first-half trying to entertain the crowd at Sochaux Stade Bonal _ which hosted an international for the first time.
The win moved France atop the European Championship's Group B with Scotland on nine points.
Henry said was frustrated by a packed Faeroe Islands defence, which at one stage played with four centre-halves.
``Scotland played with 10 men behind the ball,'' Henry said, referring to France's 1-0 loss to Scotland on Saturday. ``Tonight it was the same, except it was 11 men.''
In the 27th, Henry collected the ball 35 metres from goal, juggled it on his thigh and volleyed it over the bar.
Moments later, he gathered a pass from Julien Escude, cut inside a defender and put a shot just wide. It was a move he's repeated more successfully dozens of times for Arsenal.
He almost doubled his tally before halftime, latching onto a 50-metre pass from captain Patrick Vieira and poking the ball just wide at full stretch.
He appeared to add a second in the 56th, following up a shot from Jeremy Toulalan to sidefoot home, but the goal was ruled offside _ France's fourth disallowed goal in Euro 2008 qualifying.
Henry had one more go at goal just before being replaced by Nicolas Anelka after 61 minutes.
His departure saw three more goals for France _ one by Anelka and a brace by David Trezeguet.
Even if he wasn't there to score them, Henry was please.
``It's the whole team that plays for each other,'' he said. ``It's like with Arsenal.''
© The Canadian Press, 2007
