UPDATE 1-Soccer-Ribery shines as France beat Belarus

PARIS, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Franck Ribery scored one goal and

set up another as France beat Belarus 3-1 at the Stade de France

to maintain their perfect start in World Cup qualifying Group I

on Tuesday.

Ribery set up Etienne Capoue for the opener before wrapping

the victory up with a fine chip 10 minutes from time in a

one-sided encounter that came to life after the interval.

Christophe Jallet scored France's second goal before Belarus

reduced the arrears through Anton Putilo 18 minutes from time.

Les Bleus snatched their second win in two games four days

after a 1-0 victory in Finland but they lacked inspiration and

Didier Deschamps's side were lucky not to trail the visitors

early in the second half.

They will need to improve dramatically to stand a chance

against world and European champions Spain in their qualifier in

Madrid next month.

"Look at Spain, they struggled to beat Georgia," Deschamps

told reporters, referring to Spain's last-gasp 1-0 win in

Georgia earlier on Tuesday.

"The most important thing is to win matches. We have six

points, we could not have more from these two games. It's now up

to the players to stay as good as they are by playing well in

their clubs until next time.

"Spain remain the favourites in this group, but it's good

for us that we travel there with already six points in the bag."

Deschamps had decided to give Karim Benzema a hand up front

by playing Olivier Giroud but it did not seem to help Les Bleus

who produced a lacklustre display in the first half.

The hosts had their best chance after 13 minutes when a

Giroud header from Ribery's cross was parried away by Sergei

Veremko with a fine dive to his right.

Veremko denied Mamadou Sakho eight minutes from the interval

when he stopped the defender's downward header on his goal line.

Belarus had their first chance in the 47th minute but it

took a lightning quick Hugo Lloris save to deny Stanislav Dragun

from close range.

It spurred France into action.

Two minutes later, Ribery broke down the right flank and

Capoue, who started in place of the injured Abou Diaby,

connected with the winger's pass to beat Veremko with a low shot

from just inside the box.

Jallet doubled the tally 19 minutes later when what seemed

to be an attempted cross dropped in under the bar.

Belarus pulled one back in the 72nd when Putilo netted from

close range after Lloris had saved Sergei Kornilenko's penalty.

Ribery, however, put the result beyond doubt when he chipped

the ball past Veremko 10 minutes from time.

France's next game is a home friendly against Japan on Oct.

12.