France keen to secure top spot and avoid travel disruption, Stephan says

BOSTON, June 25 : France will be aiming to secure top spot in their World Cup Group I on Friday when they take on equally in-form Norway to avoid having to travel far from their base in Boston for their next matches, assistant coach Guy Stephan said.

France and Norway have qualified for the knockout stage after winning their first two games. France need only a draw at the home of the New England Patriots NFL team near Boston to finish top thanks to their superior goal difference.

Speaking on Thursday in place of the team's World Cup-winning coach Didier Deschamps, who has returned to France for his mother's funeral, Stephan said central defender William Saliba would be missing against Norway and striker Marcus Thuram was suffering with calf pain.

"Didier wants to finish top, as the whole group does, because it would be completely different logistically," Stephan said. "The travel times to different cities would be a lot longer if we finish second. And there's the issue of the temperatures too. First place is best."

LONG JOURNEYS

Topping the group would mean the 2018 champions would be able to stay in Northeastern United States until the quarter-finals while the team that finishes second faces the prospect of travelling long distances to Dallas, Miami and Atlanta.

Stephan, who was hired by Deschamps as his assistant at Ligue 1 club Marseille in 2009 and went with him to the France national team three years later, said he expected little contact with his boss on Friday, the day of the funeral.

Stephan said Deschamps was set to return to Boston late on Friday or early on Saturday.

France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said the absence of Deschamps was being felt by the squad.

"It's a tough moment for everyone, the coach but also for us," the Real Madrid player said. "We've tried to make things as normal as possible even if the situation is not normal. He gave us a mission and our main objective will be to make him as proud as possible."

Depending on whether France and Norway decide to rest players, Friday's game could feature two contenders for the World Cup's Golden Boot top-scoring award, France's Kylian Mbappe and Norway's Erling Haaland who both have four goals in two games, one behind Argentina's Lionel Messi.

"Haaland? He can score at any time," Tchouameni said. "Any moments when we don't concentrate could cost us dearly."

(Writing by William Schomberg, editing by Ed Osmond)