Mbappe’s twice-taken penalty helps France beat Greece in Euro qualifying

PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappé’s twice-taken penalty moved him one purpose behind Michel Platini on France’s all-time scoring listing as Greece was overwhelmed 1-0 in European Championship qualifying on Monday.

The win gave World Cup runner-up France a fourth straight win with out conceding a purpose in Group B.

It additionally gave Mbappé 54 targets over the season mixed for France and Paris Saint-Germain to beat the general mark set by the late Just Fontaine within the 1957-58 season — the yr Fontaine set a person scoring report with 13 targets on the ’58 World Cup.

Mbappé virtually turned supplier when his cross from the left was headed large by Randal Kolo Muani halfway via the primary half.

That allowed the Greeks to settle simpler on a moist evening at Stade de France, and coach Gus Poyet’s aspect began to look snug bringing the ball out from the again.

Another fluffed likelihood from the French noticed defender Jules Koundé volley straight on the goalkeeper from Kingsley Coman’s cross on the stroke of halftime.

Early within the second half, veteran ahead Antoine Griezmann took defender Konstantinos Mavropanos’ boot to the left aspect of his head. Griezmann was bleeding under his ear however smiled as he had thick strapping positioned round his head like a rugby participant.

Mavropanos was issued a yellow card. For the penalty kick, Mbappé regarded tense in his run-up and goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos guessed the right method — to his proper — for a snug save.

But referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz ordered a retake, seemingly for a Greece participant encroaching earlier than the kick, and Mbappé made no mistake as he curled it into the precise nook for his fortieth purpose for France.

Mavropanos, who fouled Griezmann, was proven the purple card for hauling down Kolo Muani within the seventieth.

France missed additional probabilities, not least when Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé broke from midfield with solely Vlachodimos to beat. But Mbappé handed up the prospect and tried to provide Dembélé a tap-in, solely to place an excessive amount of energy on his cross.

Ireland beat last-placed Gibraltar 3-0 in Dublin within the different group sport.