France 4-0 Ukraine: Mbappe scores twice, reaches 400 goals

In the 83rd minute at the Parc des Princes, Kylian Mbappe fired the ball into an empty net. It was France's third goal and Mbappe's 400th career goal at club and international level. The 4-0 win over Ukraine not only capped a sublime night but also confirmed Les Bleus' place in the World Cup finals.

Mbappe double, 400-goal milestone and World Cup ticket

The match was one-sided from the first half. France dominated possession, at one point reaching 79%, forcing Ukraine to defend deep. However, the visitors held firm thanks to a tight defense, with Zabarnyi commanding the backline and goalkeeper Trubin making consecutive saves.

In the 17th minute, Mbappe fired a dangerous long-range shot, forcing Trubin to show his talent. Right before the break, Bradley Barcola curled in from the left wing, Trubin flew to touch the ball and it hit the post. The first half ended 0-0, reflecting the home team's deadlock despite dominating the statistics.

VAR, Panenka and the turning point after the break

The drama intensified at the start of the second half. In the 51st minute, VAR denied Ukraine a penalty. Just two minutes later, it was France's turn to benefit: Olise was fouled in the box, referee Slavko Vincic pointed to the penalty spot. Mbappe chose the Panenka solution in the 55th minute, fooling Trubin to open the score 1-0. The goal untied the game and freed the home team's legs.

More space appeared in the Ukraine field. In the 76th minute, N'Golo Kanté made a delicate pass for Michael Olise to turn and finish from the far corner, doubling the gap. In the 83rd minute, from Hugo Ekitike's effort to compete and break through, the ball bounced right into the open net for Mbappe to tap into the empty net, raising the score to 3-0 and marking the milestone of 400 goals in his career.

The party ended in the 88th minute: Mbappe returned the favor with an assist for Ekitike to finish through Trubin's legs, making it 4-0. That was also Ekitike's first goal for the team.

First half pressure and the Trubin wall

Looking back at the opening 45 minutes, France controlled the tempo and space down the left flank, but most of the incursions were blocked in the box. Zabarnyi’s concentration in covering and Trubin’s reflexes – especially to Mbappe and Barcola’s shots – kept Ukraine in the game until the break.

After the break, VAR and the penalty changed the game. With France ahead, the intensity of the pressing and the quality of the short passes increased. Kanté’s assist for Olise in the 76th minute was a prime example: a through-ball that unlocked the visitors’ well-organised defence.

Important milestones

• Minute 17: Mbappe shot from afar, Trubin saved.
• End of first half: Barcola curled the ball, Trubin pushed the ball against the post.
• Minute 51: VAR denies penalty for Ukraine.
• Minute 55: Mbappe kicked Panenka, opening the score 1-0 from the 11m mark.
• Minute 76: Michael Olise finishes from the far corner after a pass from N'Golo Kanté, 2-0.
• Minute 83: Mbappe scores, 3-0; and reaches 400 career goals.
• Minute 88: Mbappe assisted, Ekitike scored the first goal for the team, 4-0.

Impact on the race

With a 4-0 win, France officially qualified for the World Cup, consolidating their position as the reigning runners-up. A night in which Mbappe left two milestones – a double and the 400-goal mark – while Olise and Ekitike made their mark at the right time, ending the match in the most convincing way.