Mbappe double sends France to W'Cup round of 16
Kylian Mbappe scored twice as defending champions France won a narrow 2-1 win over Denmark on Saturday and became the first team to advance to the knockout stages of the World Cup in Qatar.
Mbappe sent France ahead in the Group D clash just after the hour mark with a finishing push after playing a deft counter-two with team-mate Theo Hernandez, but Denmark roared with a hard-hitting header from defender Andreas Christensen to level the scores.
The Paris Saint-Germain striker returned late to convert an Antoine Griezmann cross and ensure France remain clean as they continue their Champions League title defense world. Mbappe has now scored 31 goals for France, leveling him with legend Zinedine Zidane on the country's all-time goalscoring list.
Saturday's result leaves France top of Group D with six points, three ahead of second-placed Australia, while Denmark are yet to claim their first win with just one point behind two games.
A close and tense first half saw France take advantage of the better chances as Adrien Rabiot went close with a header and the Danes were forced into a number of blocks from last remedy to keep their clean sheet intact.
It wasn't to last and Mbappe put the French ahead in the 61st minute, capping a superb high-speed French counter with a bouncing first time thanks to Hernandez's clever withdrawal.
Still in danger from set pieces, Christensen leveled the Danes seven minutes later, slipping behind the defense and leaning in to head home.
Neither team seemed happy with a draw and Rabiot fired a spectacular volley in the 80th minute, and a minute later substitute Martin Braithwaite fired a first effort from his side just wide of the first post.
The game looked set to end in a stalemate until Mbappe popped up in the 86th minute at the far post to cushion a close-range Griezmann cross to restore the lead and to send French supporters on the move in delight.
Denmark threw everything forward in search of a second equaliser, leaving acres of space at the back, but their late attacks against a side they beat twice in of the recent Nations League campaign lacked precision and the French held on during the victory that put them through.
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Kylian Mbappe scored twice as defending champions France won a narrow 2-1 win over Denmark on Saturday and became the first team to advance to the knockout stages of the World Cup in Qatar.
Mbappe sent France ahead in the Group D clash just after the hour mark with a finishing push after playing a deft counter-two with team-mate Theo Hernandez, but Denmark roared with a hard-hitting header from defender Andreas Christensen to level the scores.
The Paris Saint-Germain striker returned late to convert an Antoine Griezmann cross and ensure France remain clean as they continue their Champions League title defense world. Mbappe has now scored 31 goals for France, leveling him with legend Zinedine Zidane on the country's all-time goalscoring list.
Saturday's result leaves France top of Group D with six points, three ahead of second-placed Australia, while Denmark are yet to claim their first win with just one point behind two games.
A close and tense first half saw France take advantage of the better chances as Adrien Rabiot went close with a header and the Danes were forced into a number of blocks from last remedy to keep their clean sheet intact.
It wasn't to last and Mbappe put the French ahead in the 61st minute, capping a superb high-speed French counter with a bouncing first time thanks to Hernandez's clever withdrawal.
Still in danger from set pieces, Christensen leveled the Danes seven minutes later, slipping behind the defense and leaning in to head home.
Neither team seemed happy with a draw and Rabiot fired a spectacular volley in the 80th minute, and a minute later substitute Martin Braithwaite fired a first effort from his side just wide of the first post.
The game looked set to end in a stalemate until Mbappe popped up in the 86th minute at the far post to cushion a close-range Griezmann cross to restore the lead and to send French supporters on the move in delight.
Denmark threw everything forward in search of a second equaliser, leaving acres of space at the back, but their late attacks against a side they beat twice in of the recent Nations League campaign lacked precision and the French held on during the victory that put them through.
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