Kylian Mbappé shone as France defeated Ukraine 2-0 in World Cup qualifying, while Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy started strong with a 5-0 victory over Estonia. Other notable results included Slovenia’s late draw against Sweden and Morocco securing their place at the next World Cup.
Kylian Mbappé etched his name further into French footballing folklore, spearheading France's 2-0 victory over Ukraine in their opening World Cup qualifying match held in Wroclaw, Poland. Mbappé’s late goal not only secured the win but also propelled him to equal Thierry Henry's impressive record of 51 international goals, now standing second only to Olivier Giroud in France's all-time scoring charts. The match also saw Michael Olise contribute with an early goal, setting the stage for a dominant performance by Les Bleus.
The game began with France asserting their dominance early on. Olise's goal, a result of a well-executed pass from Bradley Barcola, put France ahead within the first 10 minutes. Throughout the first half, France maintained control, with only Ukraine's goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, preventing a further increase in the scoreline. Trubin made several crucial saves, denying Olise a second goal and keeping Ukraine within touching distance.
Ukraine, however, showed signs of life after the hour mark, creating a few nervy moments for the French defense. Ibrahima Konaté had to make a crucial clearance off the line to deny Ivan Kalyuzhnyi, and Illia Zabarnyi struck the post, coming agonizingly close to leveling the score. Despite these opportunities, Ukraine failed to capitalize, and Mbappé’s late goal sealed the victory for France.
In other World Cup qualifying action, Italy, under the new management of Gennaro Gattuso, delivered a resounding 5-0 victory over Estonia. The match served as a statement of intent for Gattuso’s tenure, as Italy showcased their attacking prowess and dominated proceedings from start to finish. Although Italy faced some resistance from Estonia's goalkeeper early on, they ultimately found their rhythm and secured a comfortable win.
The match against Estonia was particularly significant for Gattuso, who took over after a disappointing defeat to Norway in June. Italy controlled the first half and created numerous opportunities, but the opening goal proved elusive until Moise Kean broke the deadlock in the second half. From there, Italy's attacking floodgates opened, with Retegui scoring twice and Raspadori and Bastoni adding to the tally.
Elsewhere in the World Cup qualifiers, Slovenia and Sweden played out a thrilling 2-2 draw, with Slovenia scoring a late equalizer to snatch a point. In Group C, Greece dominated Belarus with a 5-1 victory, while in Group L, Czech Republic and Croatia secured wins against Montenegro and Faroe Islands, respectively. Meanwhile, Morocco became the first African nation to secure a spot in the next year’s World Cup finals, following a commanding 5-0 victory over Niger.
The World Cup qualifying matches have set the stage for an exciting journey towards the tournament, with several teams making their mark early on. As the competition intensifies, fans can expect more drama, surprises, and memorable moments on the road to the World Cup.