PARIS: KYLIAN Mbappe hit a brace while Michael Olise and Hugo Ekitike also scored as France beat Ukraine 4-0 on Thursday to secure World Cup qualification.
Captain Mbappe coolly chipped in from the spot 10 minutes into the second half at the Parc des Princes and the impressive Olise doubled their lead on 76 minutes.
Mbappe then struck again and Ekitike swept in a first goal for his country as France got the win they required to clinch their spot at the 2026 finals in North America.
Didier Deschamps was the coach then and remains in charge now, with the approaching World Cup to be his final tournament before stepping down.
“Given the context tonight, we are pleased to have put some smiles on faces by securing qualification,” said Deschamps.
Winners of the World Cup in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, France maintain their record of having made it to every edition of the tournament since missing out on a place in the United States in 1994.
“We have qualified. There will be a new format, with more teams and more games,”
“There will be lots of complications, but we have the obligation to try to go as far as possible,” Deschamps said following their qualification to the World Cup. – AFP
