Despite being rated as superior and taking the field with a strong attacking lineup, the French team still had to go through a difficult first 45 minutes in the penultimate match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
They need to overcome Ukraine to win the only ticket of group D (European zone), receiving the right to participate in the World Cup finals .

Bradley Barcola competes with Ilya Zabarnyi (13, Ukraine)
Right from the first minutes, "Les Bleus" quickly controlled the game and warned the away team with long shots from Michael Olise or sharp attacks from Rayan Cherki.
However, goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin and the Ukrainian defense played with great concentration, neutralizing all threats from the home team's attack.

N'Golo Kanté carries the entire midfield of "Les Bleus"
Ukraine defended with a large number of players, actively blocking the attacks. Even when the defense was a little loose, the Ukrainian players were still able to intervene promptly. France midfielder Manu Koné was also booked for a fierce foul, showing the home team's impatience and impatience.
Most regrettably, Bradley Barcola's beautiful curling shot at the end of the first half was brilliantly pushed by Trubin and hit the post. The first half ended without any goals scored.
Mbappé explodes, France reaches the pinnacle of glory
The turning point of the match came in the 55th minute. After France continuously pressed, the referee awarded a penalty to "Les Bleus" after Mykhavko fouled Michael Olise in the penalty area.
Captain Kylian Mbappé coolly stepped up to the penalty spot and executed a daring panenka to open the score 1-0 for France, relieving the heavy pressure.

Mbappe opened the scoring for France from the penalty spot
This goal opened up a sublime game for the home team. In the 77th minute, Michael Olise, the best player of the match, received a delicate pass from N'Golo Kanté, turned around and finished skillfully, doubling the gap.

Michael Olise (11) doubled the gap, opening up an overwhelming game for the home team.
With the game completely in France's favor, Mbappé continued to shine. In the 83rd minute, after an assist from substitute Hugo Ekitiké, Mbappé easily tapped the ball into the net from close range, raising the score to 3-0. This goal also marked the 400th goal in the French superstar's illustrious career.

Mbappe scored twice, reaching 400 career goals
Not stopping there, in the extra minute, Hugo Ekitiké scored himself to seal a resounding 4-0 victory for the French team.

Hugo Ekitiké drowns Ukraine at Parc des Princes
The resounding home win brought home all 3 points and the French team officially completed the target of directly qualifying for the 2026 World Cup finals in North America. Meanwhile, Ukraine fell to third place in Group D and faced the risk of having to participate in the risky play-off round.

Coach Didier Deschamps and his team celebrate winning tickets to the World Cup

"Les Bleus" have enough time to prepare for the 2026 finals in North America
Source: https://nld.com.vn/phap-doi-mua-ban-thang-truoc-ukraine-doat-ve-du-world-cup-2026-196251114061645321.htm






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