Former World Cup champions France had a sleepy night, but finally found the pace and went through to the knockout stage after beating World Cup debutants Togo 2-0 at their last World Cup Group G match in Colonge yesterday.

Birthday boy Patrick Vieira nailed the opener for France, slamming home the ball past goalkeeper Kossi Agassa after a flurry of dazzling foot steps in the 55th minutes.

Five minutes late, Arsenal striker Thierry Henry sealed the win for the 1998 World Cup champions after receiving a deep Claude Makelele pass on the edge of the area.

France got their early best chance in the 38th minute when David Trezeguet flew in after Ghana keeper Kossi Agassa parred off Florent Malouda's stinging shot high into the air.

France almost broke the deadlock 13 minutes into the game. Henry played in Franck Ribery who squared to Trezeguet and the ball rolled gently into the back of the net, but only to witness it was ruled out for offside.

France got another chance to tip the balance when good footwork of Ribery, who is sporting a World Cup goatee, earned him some space to shot but his toe-poked effort was easily claimed by the energetic keeper Agassa.

Under France's ferocious attacking, Togo has no choice by withdrew to their land and their goalkeeper Agassa became the busiest man in the match.