Friendly: with a double from Pavard, the Blues play against Scotland

France: Pavard (16th, 25th), Mbappé (40th, sp), Coman (70th) Scotland: Gilmour (11th)

Clean and (almost) burr-free. Four days after validating its qualification for Euro 2024, the France team offered itself a convincing victory against Scotland in Villeneuve d'Ascq (4-1). The Blues rolled on, some players took advantage of this friendly meeting to score points in the mind of Didier Deschamps.

Pavard makes up for Camavinga’s blunder

For this match without stakes, the coach carried out a (slight) squad review, making four changes in his starting eleven. The new conscripts experienced varying fortunes. Camavinga, back in midfield, was the first to shine. But not really in a good way. Very messy at the start of the match, the Real Madrid player offered the Scots the opener on a platter, completely missing his back pass. Gilmour did not miss the opportunity to deceive Maignan (0-1, 11th). Led and manhandled, the Blues finally turned everything around in the first period. At the instigation of another ghost. And not the most expected. Aligned in an unusual role of central defender in the selection, Pavard produced a solid copy. Above all, he initiated and made the French awakening a reality, scoring two goals in less than ten minutes (1-1, 16th / 2-1, 25th). The first headed double scored for the Blues since Zinedine Zidane, on the evening of July 12, 1998!

Mbappé participates in the festival

After its false start, the French team continued until the break, facing the Scots who were involved but far too limited on a technical level. If the right lane had particularly performed on Friday against the Netherlands (1-2), the Blues' game clearly leaned to the left this Tuesday. Always associated with Hernandez, Mbappé gained momentum as the minutes passed, his accelerations made the big guys in the Scottish rearguard suffer. The French captain, decisive passer on Pavard's second goal, took it upon himself to widen the gap, by converting a penalty awarded by the referee after viewing the images (3-1, 40th). His 43rd goal in the Rooster jersey.

Coman wakes up the Blues in the second half

Associated with Mbappé within the attacking trio, Giroud and especially Dembélé did not convince for their return to the eleven. The AC Milan striker, certainly at the origin of the penalty, struggled to exist, while the Parisian winger once again flaunted his recurring clumsiness. Like a point-blank shot sent off target (31st). Their replacements were responsible for livening up a second half that was long without rhythm. Coman confirmed his current form by scoring the only goal of the second act, shooting Clark after a first failure from Griezmann (4-1, 70th). The Bayern Munich player could then have turned into a passer for Thuram, author of a dynamic entry at the forefront but unfortunate in the last gesture (81st). Big winners, the Blues end this gathering on a good note and will meet again in less than a month, in order to conclude an almost perfect qualifying phase. The French team's mission will be to be among the top five in the group in these qualifiers, in order to secure a seeded place in the draw for the final phase. A major challenge