Daily Times

PARIS: New France captain Kylian Mbappe lived up to expectations with two goals in a 4-0 statement home win against the Netherlands as Les Bleus got their Euro 2024 Group B qualifying campaign started in ruthless fashion on Friday. Mbappe, named skipper after Hugo Lloris ended his international career in January, set up Antoine Griezmann for the opener before scoring the third, after Dayot Upamecano had doubled the tally in a first-half blitz, before wrapping the scoring up late in front of an ecstatic crowd. Mike Maignan, the number one goalkeeper since Lloris stepped aside, then saved Memphis Depay’s stoppage-time penalty.

With influential centre back Raphael Varane also now out of the international picture, France aimed to impress the fans in their first game since losing the World Cup final against Argentina on penalties in December and did just that against a virus-hit Dutch side under their newly-appointed manager. The result was a slap in the face for Ronald Koeman in charge of his first match since he took over from Louis van Gaal, after the Oranje reached the World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar, for his second stint after a first spell from 2018-2020. France lead Group B ahead of Greece, who beat Gibraltar 3-0 away. Didier Deschamps’s side next face Ireland in Dublin on Monday while the Netherlands host Gibraltar.

Woeful start: The Dutch, missing five players after the squad was ravaged by a viral infection, got off to a woeful start as Les Bleus broke the deadlock after two minutes, Griezmann finishing off a superb move in style with a curled shot from Mbappe’s cross inside the area. The visiting defence then made a dog’s dinner of Griezmann’s free kick and Upamecano bundled the ball home to double the advantage six minutes later. It got worse for the Dutch when Mbappe made it 3-0 after 22 minutes, rolling the ball in from close range in clinical fashion after being played through by Aurelien Tchouameni. Randal Kolo Muani, who started as a lone forward in France’s 4-3-3 formation, also put in a decent display until he was substituted for Olivier Giroud in the 76th minute. France then took things easy before travelling to Dublin, but Mbappe rubbed salt into Dutch wounds, dancing his way towards the area before unleashing a powerful cross-shot for the fourth goal and his 38th in 67 appearances.