Strikers Olivier Giroud and Harry Kane on Friday extended their national team scoring records as France and England maintained perfect starts to UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying with third straight wins.
Switzerland also have a maximum nine points after a 2-1 success against Andorra.
Giroud took only three minutes to head home Kingsley Coman’s right-wing cross to make it 54 goals for Les Bleus in a 3-0 win against Gibraltar in Group B.
Photo: AP
Kane’s penalty in a 4-0 romp against Malta made it 56 goals for his table-topping nation in Group C.
FIFA World Cup runners-up France, who opened their campaign with wins against Ireland and the Netherlands, have yet to concede a goal.
Amid speculation regarding his Paris Saint-Germain future, Kylian Mbappe captained Les Bleus at the Estadio Algarve in Faro, Portugal.
Photo: AFP
Mbappe calmly slotted in a penalty in first-half stoppage-time for his 39th France goal. He is only two behind fellow great Michel Platini, who is fourth on France’s all-time scoring list.
However, coach Didier Deschamps was not satisfied and demanded more from his team.
“We could have, we should have scored more. We hit the post, the goalkeeper made some saves,” he said. “We can always do better when we play with more speed.”
Midfielder Giorgos Masouras scored the winner as second-placed Greece won at home against Ireland 2-1 in the other Group B match.
England took the lead at Ta’ Qali National Stadium through an early Malta own-goal, before Liverpool rightback Trent Alexander-Arnold — with a brilliant strike — and Kane netted in quick succession for coach Gareth Southgate’s team.
Callum Wilson’s late penalty completed the scoring.
Elsewhere in Group C, Ukraine rallied from 2-0 down to win 3-2 against North Macedonia, with forward Viktor Tsygankov grabbing a late winner for the visitors.
In Group D, Wales blew a chance to go top after losing at home to Armenia 4-2.
Instead, Turkey moved into first place with six points after a dramatic 3-2 win against Latvia.
Wales were level on four points with Croatia, but behind on goal-difference.
In Group H, Denmark moved top on goal-difference after beating Northern Ireland 1-0 at home thanks to Jonas Wind’s goal early in the second half.
Kazakhstan were second after their 3-0 victory against San Marino.
Forwards Joel Pohjanpalo and Oliver Antman scored as Finland beat previous leaders Slovenia 2-0 at home to move into third spot.
In Group I, Switzerland lead by two points from Romania, who drew against Kosovo 0-0, while third-placed Israel won against last-placed Belarus 2-1.
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