Kylian Mbappe penalty gives France Euro qualifying win over Greece | Football News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: France secured a flawless qualifying record for Euro 2024 with a 1-0 victory over 10-man Greece on Monday, thanks to a Kylian Mbappe penalty.
The France captain initially missed his spot-kick but was granted a second chance due to encroachment by a Greek defender. Mbappe made no mistake on his second attempt, sealing the win. Greece’s Konstantinos Mavropanos received a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity by fouling Randal Kolo Muani.
With this win, France lead Group B with 12 points from four games, maintaining a clean sheet and sitting six points ahead of Greece.
The team appears set to qualify for the finals in Germany, having already triumphed against the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland.
France’s next match is against Ireland in September.
Meanwhile, speculation surrounds Mbappe’s club future as he confirmed his decision not to extend his contract with PSG.
Despite the distractions, Mbappe’s performance remained exceptional, scoring crucial goals against Gibraltar and Greece.
Although France didn’t exhibit their best form in this match, they secured the victory.
The 24-year-old, who assumed captaincy of Les Bleus after Hugo Lloris retired from international football following the World Cup, recently confirmed that he will not extend his PSG contract, which expires next year.

This decision has sparked speculation about the possibility of the Qatar-backed club selling the talented forward in this transfer window, despite his stated intention to remain with the French champions for the upcoming season.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding his future, Mbappe displayed remarkable focus, converting a penalty against Gibraltar and emerging as the matchwinner in a match that did not showcase France’s best performance.
In the first half, Mbappe experienced frustration in front of a packed Stade de France crowd as referee Mateu Lahoz dismissed his penalty appeals after a challenge from George Baldock.
Kolo Muani and Jules Kounde came close to scoring for the home team, with Kounde’s shot being saved by goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos just before halftime.
France capitalized on an opportunity to take the lead when Mavropanos made a high boot contact with Antoine Griezmann’s head four minutes into the second half.
A penalty was awarded, and Mavropanos, the VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper, received a booking while Griezmann required bandaging for his bloodied head.
Vlachodimos made an impressive save on Mbappe’s initial penalty, but he couldn’t replicate his heroics when a retake was ordered, despite diving in the right direction.
The goal marked Mbappe’s 13th in 13 games for France this season, adding to his tally of 41 goals in all competitions for PSG.
With a total of 40 goals in 70 appearances for his country, Mbappe is just one goal away from equaling Michel Platini’s record in a France shirt.
Greece, the 2004 European champions, have experienced a revival under the guidance of their Uruguayan coach Gustavo Poyet. However, their chances of achieving a favorable result in this game diminished when Mavropanos was sent off in the 69th minute.
Kolo Muani was in a promising position to score after receiving a pass from Kingsley Coman, but he was brought down by Mavropanos. Already carrying a yellow card, the defender was shown a straight red this time.
Despite having an extra man advantage, France failed to extend their lead, with substitute Ousmane Dembele narrowly missing the opportunity to connect with Mbappe’s low cross during a counterattack.
(With inputs from AFP)