Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud scored a goal each in France’s 2-0 win over Austria in UEFA Nations League A, Group 1. In the same group, Croatia beat Denmark 2-1 and climbed into the top spot with a game to go.
Les Bleus were out of the running for the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League finals spot long before matchday four of the tournament, but that didn’t stop Didier Deschamps‘ side from putting on a masterclass against Austria – a month and a half before they begin their campaign to retain the FIFA World Cup title.
Austria’s Patrick Pentz kept his team in the game with a couple of superb saves to deny Mbappe and debutant Benoit Badiashile but was eventually beaten by the former in the 56th minute when he dribbled past four opponents and slammed the ball in the back of the net from inside the box.
Nine minutes later, Antoine Griezmann drifted out to the right flank and delivered a pinpoint cross for Olivier Giroud, which the striker headed past Pentz to make it 2-0. In doing so, the AC Milan striker became the oldest scorer for the French national team and is now just two goals away from matching Thierry Henry’s record for the all-time top-scorer for Les Bleus.
In the other League A, Group 1 game, Croatia took on Denmark with a spot in the final-four on the line in Zagreb, where three points would’ve sent the latter to the next round. Instead, the Croats took the lead in the 49th minute through left-back Borna Sosa. The VfB Stuttgart star caressed the ball into the corner with precision as it rolled down to him outside the box.
Christian Eriksen restored parity in the 77th minute, the attacking midfielder collecting the ball deep inside the Croatia half and firing an unstoppable shot past Dominik Livakovic in the opposition goal.
But, two minutes later, his counterpart Lovro Majer put Croatia back ahead, squeezing the ball into the far corner from outside the box. The home side held onto their narrow advantage and took the first position in the group with a game left to play.
