France on Saturday became the first team to qualify for the round of 16 with a 2-1 win over Denmark in a Group D game at the ongoing World Cup in Qatar.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice in the second half as the defending champion booked its qualification for the knockouts with two wins in two matches.
France had failed to beat Denmark in their last two meetings this year during the Nations League.
However, in Doha, a superb performance from Mbappe, who is now the joint-highest goal-scorer in the 2022 edition, broke the streak. Mbappe put the French ahead in the 61st minute with a bouncing first-time finish from Theo Hernandez’s clever pull-back.
Andreas Christensen put the Danes level seven minutes later, stealing in behind the defence and stooping to head home but Mbappe popped up in the 86th minute at the far post to cushion home an Antoine Griezmann cross from close range to seal three points for France.
The win breaks the ‘champion’s curse’ for the Les Blues, who suffered the wrath of the curse 20 years ago, when it was eliminated in the group stage, after winning the World Cup in 1998.
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