Injury-hit France were on Monday held to a 2-2 draw by Iceland in World Cup qualifying, while Germany won in Northern Ireland with a Nick Woltemade goal, and Belgium beat Wales to stand on the brink of a place at next year’s finals.
France, World Cup winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, were without a host of players in Reykjavik including captain Kylian Mbappe and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, both out injured.
They fell behind to a Victor Palsson goal late in the first half, but Christopher Nkunku equalized just after the hour mark.
Photo: Reuters
Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta then gave Les Bleus the lead midway through the second half, getting his first senior international goal on his first start.
However, Iceland were back level almost from the restart as Kristian Hlynsson of FC Twente ran through unchallenged to make it 2-2.
France could have clinched qualification for next year’s tournament in North America with a win in Reykjavik combined with Ukraine failing to beat Azerbaijan at the same time.
Photo: AP
However, while they were dropping points, Ukraine were beating Azerbaijan 2-1 in the Polish city of Krakow — Oleksiy Hutsuliak and Ruslan Malinovskiy scored for Ukraine either side of a Vitaliy Mykolenko own goal.
France are nevertheless three points clear at the top of Group D with two games remaining next month, and a win at home to second-placed Ukraine in Paris would wrap up top spot.
“We totally controlled the game. Iceland had two shots on target and scored two goals,” France coach Didier Deschamps told TF1.
Photo: AP
“But we have another point on the board, and next month will be decisive,” he added.
Germany have now recorded three consecutive victories in Group A after beginning their campaign with a defeat in Slovakia last month.
Newcastle United forward Woltemade headed in the only goal of the game as Germany beat Northern Ireland 1-0 in Belfast, and Julian Nagelsmann’s team are top of the group with nine points.
“It was a very important three points for us,” Woltemade told Germany’s RTL, adding that “in this atmosphere and in a bit of an ugly game, you have to win, and we did well.”
Slovakia sit second only on goal difference as they defeated Luxembourg 2-0 at home. Adam Obert and Ivan Schranz scored the goals in the second half.
The 12 group winners in European qualifying would go to the World Cup, with runners-up continuing on to playoffs set for March next year — the meeting between Germany and Slovakia in Leipzig, Germany, next month would therefore be decisive.
Belgium have almost qualified from Group J after Kevin De Bruyne converted two penalties in a 4-2 win over Wales in Cardiff, while play was briefly delayed after a rat entered the field.
Belgium were leading 2-1 in the second half when the rat was spotted outside the area of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian tried to pick up the rat, but it escaped.
Wales forward Brennan Johnson ended up chasing it away through the sidelines as the crowd cheered.
Joe Rodon had given Wales an early lead, but De Bruyne’s spot-kick double came either side of a Thomas Meunier goal.
Nathan Broadhead pulled it back to 3-2, only for Leandro Trossard of Arsenal to seal Belgium’s victory at the death.
Rudi Garcia’s Red Devils — who beat Wales 4-3 at home in June — now know one win from their two games next month away to Kazakhstan and at home to Liechtenstein would clinch top spot.
Meanwhile, Wales must try to catch second-placed North Macedonia, who were held 1-1 at home by Kazakhstan on Monday with Enis Bardhi replying for the hosts after Dinmukhamed Karaman’s opener.
Switzerland could have qualified from Group B with the right combination of results, but would have to wait until next month after a 0-0 draw in Slovenia.
The Swiss are now only three points clear of Kosovo, who beat Sweden 1-0 in Gothenburg, Sweden, thanks to a solitary strike by Fisnik Asllani of Hoffenheim.
Sweden’s campaign has proven to be a disaster as they sit bottom of the section with just one point despite having Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak starting together up front — they have failed to even score in their past three matches.
Additional reporting by AP
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