France failed to win the World Cup qualifier for the second time in a row. On a visit to Ukraine, the battered team of Didier Deschamps faced a deficit halfway through, which could not be converted into a victory after the break: 1-1. Last Wednesday, the French also came no further than a draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina (1-1), although they still hold the lead in Group D with nine points. Finland follows in second place with five points, just ahead of Ukraine, which has the same number of points but has a less goal difference.
Karim Benzema and Raphaël Varane were the most notable absentees at lesson Bleus. Both names did not come out unscathed from the encounter with Bosnia and Herzegovina and they were replaced by Anthony Martial and Kurt Zouma. Kylian Mbappé traveled back to Paris the day after the previous draw due to an apparently minor calf injury. Thomas Lemar, last Wednesday still basic player, was left in the hotel with stomach cramps and his honors were observed Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Magnificent ?? France is trailing 1-0 due to a wonderful drive from Mykola Shaparenko? Can the French fight back in the second half? ??#ZiggoSport #WCQ2022 pic.twitter.com/bSpjmFjJGB
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) September 4, 2021
In the opening phase of the meeting, the game waved up and down, but great, well-played opportunities were not forthcoming for a long time. The first serious chance arose only after half an hour of play for Antoine Griezmann, who shot just wide after a return ball from Martial. On behalf of Ukraine, it was Ilya Zabarnyi who came close to scoring for the first time. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris tapped the ball at the feet of the center defender after a sharp corner; however, he also did not get the leather between the posts.
The opening goal came just before half-time. Martial failed to open the score face to face with goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov, after which the Ukrainians were accurate in the switch. Mykola Shaparenko, who has never scored on behalf of the national team, got the ball at his feet about twenty meters from Lloris and had an excellent drive: 1-0. Five minutes after the break, the French put their affairs in order. After Adrien Rabiot headed in for a cross from Kingsley Coman, Martial was brought into position. The striker shoved in the leather in the bottom left corner: 1-1.
In the remainder of the game, France hoped to avoid losing points for the second time in a row. Martial tried his luck, among other things, at the suggestion of the meanwhile substitute Benzema; however, he did not find the lead. Coman and Moussa Diaby also came close to 1-2, but due to the lack of sharpness and fortune in the completion, a new French goal did not come. France will visit Finland on Wednesday, while Ukraine will not be back in action until October.