Europe

Birthday boy Kante scores as France beats Russia 4-2

Associated Press
Published | Updated

France’s Kingsley Coman, 2nd left, scores his side's 4th goal past Russia’s goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev during the international friendly soccer match between France and Russia in Saint Denis, north of Paris, France, Tuesday, March 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) (The Associated Press)

Russia’s Vasili Berezutski, left, and France’s Andre-Pierre Gignac jump for the ball during the international friendly soccer match between France and Russia in Saint Denis, north of Paris, France, Tuesday, March 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) (The Associated Press)

France’s Dimitri Payet celebrates his side's 3rd goal during the international friendly soccer match between France and Russia in Saint Denis, north of Paris, France, Tuesday, March 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) (The Associated Press)

France's first match at its home ground since the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris ended with a 4-2 victory over Russia in a friendly game at the Stade de France on Tuesday.

N'Golo Kante celebrated his 25th birthday with his first international goal, putting the hosts in front with a clean finish after being set up by Antoine Griezmann.

Andre-Pierre Gignac, Dimitri Payet and Kinglsey Coman scored France's other goals while Aleksandr Kokorin and Yuri Zhirkov were on the scoresheet for Russia.

Security around the stadium was tight following the bombings on Nov. 13, when 130 people were killed on a night of attacks in Paris. Suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the stadium during France's friendly against Germany, killing one bystander.