Didier Deschamps’ motto before the start of the match between Finland and France was to confirm after the recital against Kazakhstan. And if Les Bleus have validated their ticket for the World Cup a few days earlier at the Parc des Princes, this match is not a friendly one. On the other hand, Markku Kanerva’s men still have the hope to play the play-offs to qualify for the first World Cup in their history. However, it is the French who start the game with a bang on the pitch of the Olympic stadium in Helsinki. Very quickly, Mbappé and his teammates take the match in hand. Dominant, they have however difficulty to be dangerous in the zone of truth. The fault of a good Finnish defense but probably also to a lack of bonding in the last meters. Gradually, the Blues are humming and are even surprised in the last quarter of an hour by several dangerous actions of the Finns. A few minutes later, Dubois is forced to leave his teammates after a thigh strain before the referee whistles the end of the first act. The two teams left each other back to back on a scoreless draw. After the break, the Tricolores were in trouble and Didier Deschamps decided to inject some blood: Benzema and Coman replaced Diaby and Koundé. Little by little, Les Bleus regained their colors and the fluidity in the game that was their strength in the last games. Only ten minutes after his entry, Benzema, with a little success, opens the score on a decisive pass of Rabiot (66th). With the entry of the Madrid center-forward, Les Bleus are transformed and find their automatisms. Mbappé, after a dazzling acceleration that only he has the secret, answers to KB9 and scores the breakthrough goal for the French team (79th). Les Bleus finally win (2-0) and deprive the Finns of the playoff matches.
Brazil keeps six points ahead of Argentina
90 choppy minutes that didn’t produce a winner tonight. It wasn’t exactly beautiful soccer, and that’s a shame. Nevertheless, the draw keeps Brazil six points ahead of Argentina, whose qualification for Qatar should be official at the end of January. Argentina, which has a 12-point lead over Colombia (4th) and Peru (5th) with four matches to go, is not yet officially qualified, but it will at least be in the play-offs. Moreover, the Albiceleste will need a point in the last four games to go to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Note that a little before this match, Colombia could not do better than a 0-0 draw against Paraguay.
