France Shows Resilience in Hard-Fought 2-1 Victory Over Iceland in World Cup Qualifying Match
Dramatic Comeback Victory for France
In a thrilling encounter at Parc des Princes in Paris, France demonstrated their championship mettle after falling behind to Andri Gudjohnsen’s surprise 21st-minute opener. The hosts mounted a successful comeback, with Kylian Mbappé equalizing from the penalty spot before halftime and Bradley Barcola securing the winner in the 62nd minute.
Match Highlights and Key Moments
The match took a dramatic turn when France was reduced to ten men in the final 22 minutes, following Aurélien Tchouaméni’s dismissal for a dangerous challenge on Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson.
Iceland thought they had found a late equalizer in the 88th minute, but their hopes were dashed when Gudjohnsen’s effort was disallowed following a VAR review due to a foul on Ibrahima Konaté.
Statistical Milestone
The match marked a significant milestone for Mbappé, whose goal brought his international tally to 52, surpassing Thierry Henry and leaving him just five goals short of Olivier Giroud’s record for France.
Tournament Implications
The victory maintains France’s perfect start to their World Cup qualifying campaign, with two wins from two matches. The two-time world champions had to endure some nervous moments in the closing stages but ultimately prevailed.
The match statistics reflected France’s dominance, with the hosts controlling between 64% and 67% of possession throughout the game, though Iceland proved to be formidable opponents despite the statistical disparity.
