France secured their World Cup qualification after defeating Belarus.

Goals from Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud secured a 2-1 victory for the European runners-up, allowing them to maintain their lead in Group A.

Goals: Griezmann 27' Giroud 33' - Saroka 44'

France needed a win to secure direct qualification for the 2018 World Cup finals, and they easily achieved their goal against Belarus in their final match.

Dominating their opponents from the start of the match, France created numerous scoring opportunities, and one of their most frequently used tactics was lofting crosses into the penalty area for Giroud to utilize his aerial ability.

The Arsenal striker had a header that hit the crossbar after a cross from Kingsley Coman 20 minutes into the first half. Earlier, Raphael Varane also threatened the Belarus goal with a header into the top corner, forcing goalkeeper Sergey Chernik to make a save.

But the opening goal for Didier Deschamps's men didn't come from a header, but from a central attack. The ball was delivered from midfield to Griezmann after just two passes, and the Atletico star didn't miss the opportunity with a low shot, sending the ball between Chernik's legs.

France created many chances but only scored two goals. Photo: Reuters

Six minutes later, Giroud doubled the lead with a somewhat fortunate goal. The Arsenal striker dribbled into the penalty area after a pass from Griezmann. He pushed the ball slightly too far, allowing Stanislav Dragun to intercept. However, the Belarusian midfielder's clearance deflected off Giroud's leg and went towards the goal. The shot was too difficult for goalkeeper Sergey Chernik to save, leaving him with no choice but to pick the ball out of the net for the second time.

Belarus found a goal to reduce the deficit before the end of the first half. Anton Saroka ran past Varane to meet Yuri Kovalev's cross and fired a diagonal shot past Hugo Lloris. A few minutes earlier, Saroka had a skillful control and volley from outside the penalty area, but the ball went over the crossbar.

France created no significant chances in the second half; on the contrary, they nearly conceded an equalizer. Kovalev made a clever run and delivered a cross, putting Saroka in an extremely favorable position to score. However, from a distance of about 6 meters, the Belarusian striker's left-footed shot went wide of the target. This was a situation where the French defenders made a mistake in marking.

The French team livened up the atmosphere with fans after the match with a "Viking celebration." Photo: Reuters

Deschamp brought Kylian Mbappe on in the second half, and the PSG player brought new dynamics to the attack. France had two penalty appeals, both denied by the referee; once they argued Giroud was pulled down by a Belarusian defender, and another time they argued Mbappe was fouled by goalkeeper Chernik.

In injury time of the second half, Saroka had another chance but again failed to convert from close range.

This victory helps France avoid having to play in the play-offs for a World Cup spot, something they had to do in 2010 and 2014. Despite having a quality squad, Deschamps' team's struggles didn't meet fans' expectations. Nevertheless, France remains a top contender for the gold trophy next summer.

According to VNE