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France national football team
International Friendlies
Jun 9, 2018 at 8pm UK
 
USA national football team

1-1

Mbappe (79')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Green (44')

Kylian Mbappe rescues draw for France against USA

Mbappe rescues draw for France against USA
© Reuters
Kylian Mbappe nets a late equaliser as France rescue a 1-1 draw against the USA in their final international friendly ahead of the World Cup finals.

France were forced to come from behind to secure a 1-1 draw with the USA in their final warm-up match ahead of the World Cup finals, with Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe netting a late equaliser for Les Bleus.

Didier Deschamps's side were the favourites ahead of kickoff and they showed why in the fifth minute when Paul Pogba unleashed a screamer that came back off the post.

The hosts were back on the front foot moments later as Antoine Griezmann played a dangerous cross into the box which Olivier Giroud got his head to, but failed to summon enough power to trouble Zack Steffen in the USA goal.

Mbappe showed off his skills in the 26th minute, playing a neat one-two with Griezmann before letting fly, forcing Steffen to react quickly to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Further chances fell to Pogba and Griezmann, neither of whom managed to get their efforts on target, before the US hit their opponents with a suckerpunch right on the stroke of half time.

The visitors had not staged an attack until an error by Djibril Sidibe allowed Julian Green in on goal, and the attacking midfielder managed to squeeze a shot beyond Hugo Lloris from a tight angle to make it 1-0.

Although France dominated the first period, the US were quick off the starting blocks in the second and Green had the ball in the net again moments after the restart, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

Deschamps made a number of substitutions as the second half rolled on, and as a result, they did not play the same flowing football they produced in the first period.

The hosts continued to create chances, however, with Pogba controlling the ball before hitting a tame shot straight at Steffen just after the hour.

Les Bleus' patience finally paid off in the 78th minute when the US let their guard down, allowing Mbappe to steal a yard on their backline and fire a low strike into the bottom corner to level the match.

There was still time for the French to come agonisingly close to winning the game, as substitute Ousmane Dembele had a shot hacked off the line deep into stoppage time, after his initial effort proved too hot for the American goalkeeper to handle.

France will now turn their attention to the group stage of the World Cup, in which they will play Peru, Denmark and Australia.

FRANCE (4-3-1-2): Lloris; Sidibe (Pavard 74'), Varane, Umtiti, Mendy (Hernandez 66'); Pogba, Kante, Matuidi (Tolisso 58'); Griezmann (Fekir 69'); Mbappe (Lemar 88'), Giroud (Dembele 58')

USA (5-3-2): Steffen; Carter-Vickers, Miazga (Palmer-Brown 60'), Parker, Moore (Yedlin 74'), Robinson (Villafana 82'); Adams, Trapp, McKennie; Green (Corona 70'), Wood (Sargent 74')

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Written by
Mark Langshaw
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Paul Pogba and Hugo Lloris during a France training session in March 2018
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