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DOHA: Kylian Mbappe scored twice, together with a late winner, as holders France edged Denmark 2-1 on Saturday to grow to be the primary workforce to achieve the final 16 of the World Cup.
A potent French aspect knew a second victory in as many Group D outings would take them by to the knockout section and so they have been effectively well worth the lead that Mbappe gave them when he opened the scoring at Stadium 974 simply after the hour mark.
Nevertheless, Andreas Christensen quickly equalised for the Danes and Les Bleus wanted Mbappe to ship once more within the 86th minute as he turned in Antoine Griezmann’s cross to puncture the Danish resistance as soon as and for all.
Having scored 4 throughout France’s victorious 2018 marketing campaign and one in opposition to Australia, Mbappe now has seven objectives in 9 World Cup appearances.
Didier Deschamps’s aspect now have the posh of going into their remaining group sport in opposition to Tunisia understanding a draw will assure them prime spot, and even a defeat could not forestall them ending first.
Having come roaring again to batter Australia 4-1 of their opening match in Qatar, France have been extra wasteful in entrance of purpose on this event however at the least they didn’t come unstuck in opposition to opponents who’ve induced them issues earlier than.
They have been reigning champions when a defeat to the Danes knocked them out of the 2002 World Cup, whereas the edges performed out the one goalless attract 2018.
Extra not too long ago Kasper Hjulmand’s aspect beat France house and away on this yr’s Nations League, and it appeared that Deschamps had realized classes from these two encounters.
If France have been a shadow of their common selves in Copenhagen in September, they have been significantly better on this match, performed in a pop-up stadium made from transport containers on Doha’s waterfront.
Deschamps modified three of his again 4, with Theo Hernandez at left-back rather than his injured elder brother Lucas and Raphael Varane coming in for his first sport in over a month.
PACE AND POWER
However the French assault was untouched from the Australia sport.
If Olivier Giroud took the headlines then, right here Ousmane Dembele was electrical at occasions on the proper, Griezmann excelled in a sophisticated midfield function, and Mbappe made the distinction.
France’s tempo, energy and passing have been all too sharp for the Euro 2020 semifinalists who have been fortunate to go in degree at half-time.
There have been some French appeals for a pink card within the nineteenth minute when Mbappe burst onto an exquisite threaded by ball by Griezmann solely to be hauled down by Christensen, however the Danish defender escaped with a yellow.
The holders’ finest possibilities within the first half got here from headers by Varane and Adrien Rabiot, however when Mbappe turned away from Joachim Andersen simply earlier than the hour mark and accelerated away, it was an indication {that a} purpose was coming.
His shot was turned behind by Kasper Schmeichel, and Griezmann then wasted an awesome likelihood shortly after, however within the 61st minute Mbappe did rating.
The Paris Saint-Germain celebrity linked up brilliantly with Hernandez on the left and met his team-mate’s cutback with a shot that beat Schmeichel due to a deflection off Christensen.
Denmark had provided little however out of the blue they have been degree halfway by the second half as Andersen nodded down a nook and his fellow defender Christensen headed house.
— AFP
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