Malouda: France was naive in 1-0 loss to Belarus

PARIS — France captain Florent Malouda has blamed naivety for the team's shock 1-0 home defeat by Belarus in a 2012 European Championship qualifier that the French press called a "catastrophe" and a "nightmare."

Friday's game was heading for a draw in a match of few chances, but Belarus caught the French cold with a classic counterattack goal scored by Sergei Kislyak in the 86th minute to silence a nervy Stade de France crowd.

"We showed our naivety toward the end. When we were going for victory we forgot to ensure the draw, which is the minimum requirement," Malouda said Saturday. "It was hard to take, I don't think many players expected us to lose this game."

Malouda said a lack of experience was no excuse for Laurent Blanc's new-look team; players just had to accept that international football is unforgiving and there is no time to settle in comfortably.

"You have to be ready whether you have one cap, two or 100," Malouda said. "I told the young players before the match that you have to face up to your responsibilities."

The French desperately needed a win after a World Cup debacle, when they went out at the group stage without winning a game. The players also went on strike at a training session, prompting a stern rebuke from fans and politicians alike.

The French press was scathing on Saturday in the aftermath of a fourth straight defeat.

"The Nightmare Continues" said daily newspaper Le Parisien. Sports daily L'Equipe called it "Catastrophic" and added that "Laurent Blanc's France team completely failed."

The verdict of Ouest France was "France Humiliated" while France Soir reacted to the defeat with a sharp "What a Slap" headline.

Even L'Humanite newspaper, not noted for its sports coverage, joined in with a pertinent question.

"Will Blanc's Blues Climb Out of the Dark?" it asked.

Former France midfielder Emmanuel Petit, who won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship two years later, gave his bleak view.

"This team lacks initiative, character, personality and talented players, with the exception of Malouda," Petit wrote for L'Equipe's website. "There is no room for mediocrity at the highest level of football. Not only did this match not solve anything, but it has made things worse."

France travels to play Group D leader Bosnia on Tuesday with Blanc already under pressure.

France has won only one of its last nine games, and that was a scrappy 2-1 win over Costa Rica in a World Cup warmup.

"We lost to China before the World Cup, to Norway and to Belarus and we have to admit that this is our true level," Malouda said.

France has scored just five goals in the last nine games, and has conceded 12. No striker has scored in that time.