Having qualified for each of the last seven FIFA World Cups, France wasted no time in their group opener against Ukraine in Wroclaw.
Les Bleus dominated the early stages, and a goal duly arrived in the 10th minute when Bradley Barcola’s cut-back was clinically swept into the bottom corner by Michael Olise for his third international strike.
Didier Deschamps’ side continued to create chances in a one-sided opening half-hour, but Anatoliy Trubin stood firm in the Ukraine goal, denying Olise and Desire Doue in quick succession.
France came close to doubling their advantage once again when Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni fired a pair of efforts narrowly wide of the target, allowing Ukraine to make it through to the break without further damage to the scoreline.
Determined to make his side’s pressure count, Deschamps introduced Ousmane Dembele at the start of the second period, and the Paris Saint-Germain forward nearly had an immediate impact when his close-range strike was thwarted by Trubin.
Encouraged by Les Bleus’ profligacy in front of goal, Ukraine threatened an unlikely equaliser with time ticking into the final half-hour, as Ivan Kalyuzhnyi shot narrowly wide and Illia Zabarnyi directed a header agonisingly against the post from point-blank range.
Grateful for that reprieve, France finally found the all-important second with eight minutes remaining, with Mbappe racing onto Tchouaméni’s long ball and rifling a superb finish beyond Trubin into the far corner.
Armed with a comfortable two-goal cushion, the visitors eased through the closing stages to secure a well-deserved three points, extending their dominant H2H record to just one defeat in 13 matches (W7, D5).
Key stats
- France have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four games in World Cup qualifiers, their longest run of games without conceding a goal in the competition (since at least 2010).
- Les Blues have scored in their last 11 games in World Cup qualifiers, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 12 games from 6th September 2008 to 18th November 2009.
- Kylian Mbappé has scored in each of his last three World Cup qualifiers (six goals), his longest scoring streak in the competition.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Michael Olise (France)