Mbappe levels up with Henry as France cruise past Ukraine in World Cup tie

Kylian Mbappe draws level with Thierry Henry connected 51 goals for France successful 2-0 triumph against Ukraine successful World Cup qualifier.

France struck aboriginal done Michael Olise and sealed the points with a precocious Kylian Mbappe breakaway to beat Ukraine 2-0 and unfastened their World Cup qualifying run successful style.

Mbappe’s 82nd-minute onslaught connected Friday, acceptable up by his Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni astatine the extremity of a accelerated counterattack, lifted the guardant to 51 planetary goals, drafting him level with Thierry Henry successful 2nd spot connected France’s all-time scoring list, down Olivier Giroud (57).

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Second-half substitute Ousmane Dembele, who had already missed grooming this week with a thigh issue, aggravated the aforesaid wounded aft replacing Desire Doue astatine the interval.

Doue had sustained a sound connected his close calf earlier halftime and could not continue. Dembele’s evening besides ended aboriginal arsenic helium came disconnected successful the 81st minute, making mode for Hugo Ekitike to gain his archetypal cap.

Les Bleus had dominated the opening fractional successful a slick 4-2-3-1 formation, their gait and question repeatedly pulling Ukraine apart.

Olise gave them the pb aft 10 minutes, sliding successful a Bradley Barcola pass, and lone goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s crisp reflexes prevented further harm arsenic helium denied Olise a 2nd and aboriginal blocked Dembele aft a delicate Tchouameni spot implicit the defence.

Ukraine, who had threatened aboriginal with unsafe crosses into the box, came live aft the hour. Ibrahima Konate cleared disconnected the enactment from Ivan Kalyuzhnyi earlier Illia Zabarnyi struck Mike Maignan’s post, concisely putting France’s backline nether existent pressure.

But erstwhile Mbappe sprinted wide to present the slayer stroke with a debased drive, Deschamps’s broadside were capable to spot retired the closing minutes with comfort.

The effect gives the 2018 satellite champions an aboriginal borderline successful Group D against the toughest opposition. The radical besides includes Iceland and Azerbaijan.

France big Iceland, who destroyed Azerbaijan 5-0, successful Paris connected Tuesday, portion Ukraine question to Baku.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies