Kylian Mbappe moved closer to France’s all-time goalscoring record and Les Bleus took a giant step towards World Cup qualification with a routine win over Azerbaijan this evening.
Mbappe started the evening five goals short of Olivier Giroud’s record of 57, but came close after opening the scoring at the Parc des Princes.
Adrien Rabiot added a second and Florian Thauvin, recalled, a brilliant third late in the match for Didier Deschamps’ team, who are now five points ahead of second-placed Ukraine at the top of Group D and on course to secure a place in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.
The only blemish of the evening was the sight of Mbappe limping with eight minutes remaining after apparently suffering a recurrence of his ankle injury.
Mbappé opens in style
Mbappe spoke yesterday about surpassing Giroud’s mark tonight and he gave an early indication of his determination with a low shot that brought a save from Azerbaijani goalkeeper Shakhruddin Magomedaliyev.
Malo Gusto was also denied by Magomedaliyev after 10 minutes as France looked to open the scoring.
That fast start gradually gave way to a stalemate, with France dominating possession but doing little with it against an Azerbaijan side happy to sit in a low block and frustrate.
Michael Olise made little progress on the right flank while Hugo Ekitike was a peripheral figure alongside Mbappe.
Something special was needed to break the ice and it came, predictably, from captain and talisman Mbappe in first-half injury time.
There appeared to be little danger when the Real Madrid star collected the ball 50 yards from goal, but he accelerated past two defenders, played a slightly fortuitous one-two with Ekitike before firing a shot past Magomedaliyev and into the bottom right corner.
Ekitike almost added a second four minutes after the restart, his effort hitting the post, before the match returned to a familiar pattern of attack versus defense.
Mbappe went close with another trademark blast but was denied by a superb block from Behlul Mustafazade while Magomedaliyev kept out a rasping effort from Khephren Thuram.
It looked like a second goal was bound to come and it duly arrived through Rabiot, the Milan midfielder nodding in Mbappe’s cross after 69 minutes.
Mateta makes his debut before Thauvin scores a cracker
Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was brought in for his French debut before Thauvin was introduced in place of Mbappe for his first appearance since a Euro 2020 qualifier against Andorra in June 2019.
His impact was instantaneous, pushing away Theo Hernandez’s cross with a brilliant scissor shot.
