There were grains of hope on Wednesday night for a Wales side whose formidable task against the world champions reached the realms of the impossible after the unfathomable dismissal of Liverpool’s Neco Williams.
The goalkeeping performance of Danny Ward was a huge statement of intent for him, in the fight to edge out Wayne Hennessey for the opening European Championships game against Switzerland in Baku on Saturday week.
The Leicester keeper clawed out a Paul Pogba header with a save of top quality and within minutes had saved a Karim Benzema penalty, leaping low to his right to save with a strong hand.