Gibraltar 0-3 France: Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud on scoresheet as Les Bleus cruise to Euro 2024 qualifying win

France captain Kylian Mbappe took time out from fielding questions about his club future to score a goal and assist another as Les Bleus beat Gibraltar 3-0 in Portugal.

Didier Deschamps picked a strong French line-up and they went ahead inside the first three minutes, with Giroud nodding in at the back post.

One might have expected a flurry of goals to follow, but a combination of France moving the ball slowly and dogged Gibraltar defending kept the lead at just one until first-half stoppage time. A VAR review was able to detect an unintentional handball and that gave France a penalty, which Mbappe coolly dispatched.

Before that, debutant Brice Samba was given an almighty scare in the France goal when he was left stranded by a Ayoub El Hmidi effort from the halfway line, but the ball landed on the roof of the net.

France’s domination continued in the second half but it was not until the 78th minute that they added the third goal via Aymen Mouelhi diverting Mbappe’s cross into his own net.

The French hit the woodwork on four occasions so will feel that on another day it would have been a rout. Aurelien Tchouameni was the most unfortunate as he twice headed onto the crossbar.

France have three wins from three and sit top of Group B, while Gibraltar have lost all three of their matches.

TALKING POINT – Yet another match soured by VAR

There was never any doubt France would win this game, but Gibraltar’s stubborn resistance made for an entertaining contest. At 1-0 they still had a chance – as demonstrated by El Hmidi coming close to equalising in spectacular fashion – and even if you never seriously thought they were not going to lose, Gibraltar finishing with an admirable result was still in play. A VAR review robbed of us seeing that drama play out.

The penalty France were given was standard VAR fare, but that we are used to such spot kicks should not detract from how farcical they are. An unintentional handball not detectable to the naked eye and which did not deny a goal-scoring opportunity is hardly a crime befitting as serious a punishment as a penalty.

The officials’ job is to enforce the rules, not worry about the narrative of the match. This is the system’s fault, not theirs. But there was no way to watch this unfold as a neutral observer and think justice was done. Instead it was a cruel reminder that even when watching a non-contest like this, a demoralising VAR review is never far away.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Eduardo Camavinga (France)

Back in central midfield, Camavinga was sharp in possession and played a number of creative passes. Gibraltar got lots of defenders behind the ball and France often struggled to play through the lines, but Camavinga was one player able to create chances.

PLAYER RATINGS

Gibraltar: Coleing 7, Sergeant 6, R. Chipolina 6, Lopes 7, Olivero 6, Britto 5, Casciaro 5, Pozo 6, Hartman 5, Ronan 6, El Hmidi 6. Subs: De Barr 5, Annesley 5, Mouelhi 5, Wiseman 5, J. Chipolina 5.

France: Samba 6, T. Hernandez 7, Konate 5, W. Fofana 6, Pavard 5, Tchouameni 6, Camavinga 8, Griezmann 6, Coman 6, Giroud, 6 Mbappe 7. Subs: Kolo Muani 7, Dembele 6, Nkunku 6, Disasi 6, Y. Fofana 6.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

GIROUD OPENS SCORING 3′ – Coman gets past his man on the right and crosses for Giroud, who nods in from close range. That didn’t take long.

GIBRALTAR ALMOST LEVEL 34′ – El Hmidi intercepts the ball on halfway, sees Samba off his line and goes for goal. Samba is beaten, then mightily relieved to see the ball land on the roof of the net. That was so nearly a stunning equaliser.

FRANCE AWARDED PENALTY 45′ – After the referee is sent to look at the pitch-side monitor, a penalty is given to France. Mbappe flicked the ball onto the top of R. Chipolina’s arm and therefore a spot kick is awarded, although Chipolina had no time to get out of the way.

MBAPPE SCORES PENALTY 45+2′ – Mbappe, eyes on the goalkeeper, dispatches the penalty into the bottom right corner.

FRANCE GET THIRD 78′ – Mbappe is released by Kolo Muani on the left, crosses with the outside of his boot and Mouelhi puts the ball into his own net.

KEY STAT

Giroud is now up to 54 goals for France, the country’s all-time record.