 |
| Guy Stephan praised France's special performance after a 4-1 win over Norway, as Ousmane Dembele's hat-trick secured top spot in Group I at the FIFA World Cup. |
France secured first place in Group I of the FIFA World Cup with a convincing 4-1 victory over Norway at Boston Stadium on Saturday. Despite head coach Didier Deschamps being absent following the passing of his mother, Les Bleus delivered an impressive performance highlighted by Ousmane Dembele's hat-trick.
France took control from the opening minutes, with Dembele scoring in the seventh minute before doubling the lead just 13 minutes later. The achievement made him the first French player to score twice within the opening 20 minutes of a World Cup match.
Norway responded through Thelo Aasgaard, briefly cutting the deficit, but Dembele completed his hat-trick in the 32nd minute, recording one of the fastest trebles in FIFA World Cup history.
Early in the second half, Norway had an excellent opportunity to get back into the game when Jorgen Strand Larsen earned a penalty. However, goalkeeper Mike Maignan produced a crucial save to preserve France's comfortable advantage.
Desire Doue added a late goal to complete the 4-1 victory. The result also marked France's fourth consecutive World Cup match with at least three goals scored, matching one of the tournament's longest such streaks.
The victory confirmed France as Group I winners, setting up a Round of 32 clash with Sweden based on the current tournament standings.
Assistant coach Guy Stephan dedicated the victory to Didier Deschamps, who is expected to rejoin the team shortly.
"Our thoughts are obviously with Didier. We are all happy that he will be back with the team very soon. He will be at training tomorrow afternoon," Stephan said.
He added that the players were highly motivated because of their close relationship with the head coach.
"All the players did exactly what they needed to do. They wanted to produce something special for Didier today."
Although pleased with the performance, Stephan stressed that France still has room for improvement as the tournament becomes more competitive.
"There was great intensity, we created plenty of chances, and scored four goals. But there were also moments where we weren't at our best, and those are things we need to improve. Tomorrow, it's back to work with Didier."
Desire Doue also dismissed suggestions that France could become overconfident after another dominant display.
"We know our quality and what we're capable of. Today Ousmane scored the hat-trick, but next time it could be Kylian or Michael Olise. We just have to keep performing like this."
The win not only secured France's place as Group I champions but also marked a career milestone for Dembele, who scored more than once in a match for the French national team for the first time. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe increased his World Cup goal involvement total to 20, further strengthening his place among the competition's most productive players. France will now shift its focus to the Round of 32, with Didier Deschamps expected to return to the sidelines.
- Memuat artikel...
