Mbappe shines, France easily defeats Azerbaijan

Right after the opening whistle, the French team quickly took control of the game and pressured Azerbaijan with fast play and accurate coordination.

In the 11th minute, Malo gust had a chance to open the scoring with a dangerous shot, but goalkeeper Shahrudin Mahammadaliyev reacted brilliantly to save the away team.

Despite being forced to play, Azerbaijan still maintained a closed defensive position, trying to neutralize the home team's intense attacks. However, in the 45+2 minute, the deadlock was finally broken. Kylian Mbappe confidently broke through and then fired a dangerous shot into the right corner of the goal, opening the score 1-0 for France. This goal helped Didier Deschamps' team play more excitedly and ended the first half with a goal advantage.

Entering the second half, Les Bleus continued to maintain the dominating position. In the 50th minute, Hugo Ekitike almost increased the score to 2-0 when his shot hit the post along the Azerbaijan goal. However, just 19 minutes later, Adrien Rabiot doubled the gap with an accurate header after Mbappe's cross.

In the 84th minute, Florian Thauvin - a player who had just been sent on to replace Mbappe - ended the match with a technical finish, sending the ball into the right corner of the goal, sealing a 3-0 victory for the home team.

Despite efforts to adjust the squad with many substitutions due to injuries and fitness, Azerbaijan still could not make a difference against the opponent's superior strength. France played solidly, controlled the game well and maintained the net until the referee blew the whistle to finish.

With this victory, the French team consolidated their top position in Group D with 9 absolute points after 3 matches, scoring 7 goals and conceding no goals. Ukraine ranked second with 4 points, Iceland ranked third with 3 points, while Azerbaijan only had 1 point and was at the bottom of the table.

This impressive form has helped Les Bleus take a steady step forward in their journey to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, while Azerbaijan's chance is almost over.