France snatched the top spot in Group B of the Euro 2008 qualifiers with a 2-0 victory over Ukraine at the Stade de France on Saturday.

With both the teams tied on points in the table, France needed a victory to boost its chances of qualifying for the Euro 2008 championship next year. Two second half goals from Franck Ribery and Nicolas Anelka was enough for France to get all the three points, but the team should have had scored more considering the fact that they dominated the game from the start.

Coach Raymond Domenech put his faith in 19-year old Samir Nasri and gave him a place in the starting line up. The Marseille midfielder did not disappoint and had a great game in the centre of the midfield. However it was not until the second half that France really started to exert pressure on a Ukrainian side who were toothless in attack with absence of their star striker Andriy Shevchenko.

Nasri, who has been voted the best young player in the French league, slid a wonderful through pass for Anelka who should have scored in the 50th minute but keeper Oleksander Shovkovsky blocked the shot. Shovkovsky once again came to Ukraine's rescue when he denied Anelka for the second time.

France finally took the lead in the 57th minute when Ribery latched on to an exquisite through pass from Makelele and went round the keeper to slam the ball into the empty net. Anelka finally got his deserved goal 19 minutes from time with a screamer of a volley from inside the box.

Domenech said that he was happy with the result but wants the players to be focused ahead of their match against Georgia. "We are only at half-time, and what counts now is Wednesday against Georgia. We must immediately switch back on and not relax. It will be important to have points in hand for then, so we can go into that match in a calm state of mind", he said.

France now has 15 points from 6 games and will be looking to extend the 2-point lead over second-placed Italy when they meets Georgia in Auxerre on June 6. France v Ukraine finished 2-0.