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England-France friendly to go ahead as planned, says FFF

Xinhua, November 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

The French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed Saturday afternoon that the international friendly between England and France will go ahead as planned in London on Tuesday after the deadly attacks killed at least 128 people in Paris on Friday evening.

"As we speak, the game is on," said a FFF spokesman. "After talks with the English FA, we decided to go ahead."

"If the England FA came to re-evaluate the situation, obviously the question of holding the match or not would be addressed," he added.

As France hosted World Cup champions Germany and eventually won 2-0 at the Stade de France on Friday, three explosions were heard outside the national stadium just about 20 minutes after the friendly kicked off.

At least five died and several others were seriously hurt during the explosions while several attacks took place throughout central Paris with one of which turned to hostage taking at the Bataclan theater and concert hall.

One of the explosions outside Stade de France was near a McDonald on the fringes of the stadium and at least one of the two explosions in rue Jules-Rimet was a suicide bomb attack, according to local media.

Germany coach Loew sensed danger and became aware that the loud noises were unusual as earlier in the day there was a bomb threat in the team's hotel.

"I thought about that when I heard the first explosion. It was very loud and it was quite clear to me what it was," he told German television ARD.

Around 80,000 spectators were in the stadium north of Paris including French President Francois Hollande, who rushed back to the Interior Ministry from Stade de France and condemned the "unprecedented terrorist attacks".

Spectators were held in the stadium and continued to watch the game till the end despite the panic atmosphere while police helicopters circled the stadium. Endi