World Cup Qualifiers: France thrash Netherlands, Belgium hit nineBy Pete Hall
Last Updated: 01/09/17 12:30am
Two goals from Thomas Lemar helped France thrash 10-man Netherlands 4-0 in Paris to go top of Group A., while Belgium and Portugal cruised to victories. Antoine Griezmann opened the scoring in the Stade de France after a neat one-two with Olivier Giroud 14 minutes in, and France never looked back, as they controlled proceedings.
For all their good football they struggled to create any clear-cut chances for the rest of the first half, with Paul Pogba having several long-range efforts easily saved.
Kevin Strootman was given his marching orders just after the hour mark for two bookable offences, before Thomas Lemar - the subject of much transfer interest pre-match - then showed the world why Arsenal and Liverpool had reportedly been so keen on securing his services, as he volleyed home brilliantly after 73 minutes, his first goal for France, before sliding home a third two minutes from time to make sure of the win.
There was still time for Paris Saint-Germain new boy Kylian Mbappe to sweep home a superb fourth in stoppage time - also his maiden France strike - to further emphasise the gulf between these sides.
With Sweden losing 3-2 in Bulgaria, France moved to the top of Group A, but the Netherlands are now three points off a play-off spot with three games to play.
Sweden fought back twice to be level at the break with goals from Mikael Lustig and Marcus Berg, but Ivaylo Chochev's 79th-minute strike proved to be the winner for the hosts, who are now right back in qualification contention themselves. Luxembourg beat Belarus 1-0 in the other game in the group.
Switzerland are assured of at least a play-off place after they completed a comfortable 3-0 victory over Group B minnows Andorra.
Haris Seferovic scored twice for the Swiss (43, 62) before Stephan Lichtsteiner made sure with a third in the 68th minute.
Portugal are almost secure in the top two as well after Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's fifth international hat-trick earned them a 5-1 win over the Faroe Islands.
West Ham target William Carvalho and Norwich forward Nelson Oliveira were also on target for the European champions.
Hungary's 3-1 win over Latvia keeps them in with a slim chance of deposing Portugal in second place, with Tamas Kadar and Adam Szalai on target and Aleksandrs Solovjovs scoring an own goal.
Belgium moved six points clear at the top of Group H as they hammered Gibraltar 9-0 despite playing 50 minutes with 10 men after Axel Witsel was sent off.
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku and Thomas Meunier both scored hat-tricks, with Dries Mertens, Witsel and Eden Hazard also on target.
Greece were held to a goalless draw at home by Estonia to slip further behind the Belgians, while Cyprus recovered from two goals down to beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 3-2 with Pieros Sotiriou netting the winner in the 76th minute.
They now sit just one point behind the third-placed Bosnians and only three behind the Greeks.
http://www.skysports.com/football/france-vs-netherlands/350143 [ 此帖被羅力亞在2017-09-01 11:31重新編輯 ]
