World Cup winners France get off to a winning start to the new international season thanks to Kingsley Coman. The FC Bayern winger scored twice in a convincing 4-1 win in the Euro qualifier against Albania. With twelve points from five games, the Équipe Tricolore remain top of Group H ahead of Turkey and Iceland who are level on points.
With Coman, Benjamin Pavard plus the two returnees Lucas Hernández and Corentin Tolisso, all four pros from the record champions were in the hosts’ starting line-up at the Stade de France in Paris. Coman opened the scoring early on with a strike on eight minutes. Hernández provided a pinpoint cross for Olivier Giroud to double the lead in the first half (27’). Shortly after that, Antoine Griezmann missed the chance to wrap it up when he hit the bar from a penalty after a foul on the impressive Hernández in the box (36’).
France maintained control of proceedings in the second half and Coman (68’) sealed the victory with his second goal. Coman then made way for debutant Jonathan Ikoné who made it 4-0 eight minutes after coming on in the 85th minute. The visitors scored a consolation goal at the end with a penalty converted by Sokol Cikalleshi (90’).
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