New France captain kylian mbappe lived up to expectations with two goals in a 4-0 home win against the Netherlands as Les Bleus began their Euro 2024 Group B qualifying campaign in ruthless fashion on Friday.
Mbappé named captain in honor of the goalkeeper Hugo Lloris ended his international career in January, created antoine griezman for the first goal before scoring the third, after Dayot Upamecano he had doubled the count in a first-half blitz, before closing the scoring late in front of an ecstatic crowd.
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With Lloris and also an influential centre-back Rafael Varane Now out of the international arena, France were looking to impress in their first match since losing the World Cup final to Argentina last December and they did so against a virus-stricken Dutch side under their new manager.
The result was a slap in the face for ronald koeman in charge of his first match since taking over from Louis van Gaal after the Oranje reached the World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar for the second time after a first spell from 2018-2020.
“It’s great,” said Mbappe. “We didn’t want to concede a goal for everyone to be happy. Mike doesn’t like to concede goals and for the first time as number one he got a clean sheet.
“We all back him. We prepared by saying we couldn’t let the fans down in this first game here after the World Cup.”
France tops Group B ahead of Greece, who beat Gibraltar 3-0 away. Didier Deschamps’ side take on Ireland in Dublin on Monday, while the Netherlands host Gibraltar.
The Dutch, missing five players after the team was devastated by a viral infection, got off to a woeful start as Les Bleus broke the tie after two minutes, Griezmann finishing off an excellent play in style with Mbappe’s cross from inside the box. area. .
The visiting defense then made a dog dinner with a Griezmann free kick and Upamecano sent the ball home to double the lead six minutes later.
“If you are 2-0 behind after seven minutes, of course it will be a great job,” said Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk.
“We just started badly and then you’re behind… So they play a pretty simple game with their qualities. We’ll have to see this, it’s hard to analyze it so quickly, but 2-0 after seven minutes is just a shame.”
Mbappe made it 3-0 after 22 minutes, clinically rolling the ball from close range after Aurelien Tchouameni.
The Netherlands threatened briefly at half-time, but memphis paymentKoeman’s attempt went just wide and sent the forward Wout Weghorst in for midfielder kenneth taylor at minute 33.
France was close again when Ibrahima KonateThe header of was diverted by jasper cilessen Nine minutes before the break.
The Dutch had an early chance in the second half from Depay’s free kick, but that was the closest they got with Upamecano and Konate directing the French central defence.
Randal Kolo Muaniwho started as a lone striker in France’s 4-3-3, also put in a good performance until he was replaced by Olivier Giroud at minute 76.
France then took it easy before traveling to Dublin, but Mbappe added salt to the Dutch wounds, dancing towards the box before unleashing a powerful cross for the fourth goal and 38th in 67 appearances.
mike magnanthe number one goalkeeper since Lloris’s retirement, saved Depay’s stoppage-time penalty, leaving fans wondering what might have been had he been between the posts in the World Cup final, a tournament he missed for injury.
