France kick-started their Euro 2024 qualification campaign in emphatic fashion as they secured a comfortable 4-0 victory over the Netherlands at the Stade de France on Friday night.
Donning the captain's armband for the first time, goal machine Kylian Mbappe was on the scoresheet in the first half along with Antoine Griezmann and Dayot Upamecano as Les Bleus raced into a three-goal lead within the first 21 minutes.
Mbappe then capped off a formidable France performance with a stunning strike two minutes from time, before Mike Maignan saved a 95th-minute penalty from Memphis Depay as Ronald Koeman suffered defeat on his return to international management with the Oranje.
The two big guns of Group B walked out at the Stade de France for their first international since the 2022 World Cup in which they were both defeated on penalties by eventual winners Argentina – the Netherlands losing in the quarter-finals before France suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the final.
It was France who came out the blocks the quickest, though, with Griezmann putting aside his captaincy rejection from Didier Deschamps to open the scoring in the second minute.
Griezmann – France's newly-elected vice-captain – began the move with a perfectly-timed slide tackle to intercept Kenneth Taylor, before Mbappe teed up the Atletico Madrid man to sweep a first-time left-footed finish into the bottom corner from just inside the penalty area.
The Stade de France faithful were roaring again just six minutes later when Griezmann whipped a dangerous free kick into the danger zone, only for Netherlands goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen to punch the ball directly to Upamecano who bundled the ball home from close range.
The contest appeared to have settled down a quarter of an hour in, as the Netherlands began to spray the ball around in midfield, while Georginio Wijnaldum tested his luck with a long-range strike that Maignan was equal to.
However, France quickly regained control and scored a third in the 21st minute when a brilliant dummy from Randal Kolo Muani allowed Aurelien Tchouameni's through-ball to meet the run of Mbappe from the left channel, before the Paris Saint-Germain forward placed a sweet strike into the bottom corner.
Koeman responded to the Netherlands' poor start by replacing Ajax midfielder Taylor with striker Wout Weghorst just after the half-hour mark, with the Manchester United loanee's introduction moving Depay out wide and forcing Xavier Simons to drop into midfield.
Despite the change of approach from Koeman, France continued to look a constant threat whenever they entered the Dutch half, and Deschamps will have been delighted with his side's commanding first-half performance, with Griezmann, Mbappe and Kolo Muani particularly impressing in attack.
France continued to dominate proceedings after the break, and Mbappe looked to add to his goal tally with a curling strike from range on the 52-minute mark, but Cillessen had no issues collecting the ball.
There were signs of improvement from the Netherlands as the second half progressed, with Depay the main man who looked the most likely to pull one back, but they ultimately struggled to pose a real threat in front of goal.
Cillessen was again called into action to prevent Mbappe from adding a fourth 12 minutes from time when he got down well to tip a fizzed strike away from danger, but the Dutch goalkeeper was unable to keep the PSG forward out 10 minutes later.
Indeed, Mbappe scored his second of the night and France's fourth to wrap up a sensational night for the hosts when he edged towards the penalty box, teasing the Dutch defenders in his path, before firing a powerful strike across the face of goal into the bottom-left corner.
World Cup Golden Boot winner Mbappe has now scored 21 goals in his last 18 international matches for Les Bleus, and has moved ahead of Karin Benzema into fifth place on the nation's all-time goalscorer list with 38 goals.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time, the Netherlands were then presented with an opportunity to pull one back when Upamecano handled a header from Weghorst inside the penalty area, but Depay's effort from 12 yards was saved by Maignan to his left.
It was a night to forget for Koeman's Dutch side, while Deschamps and co delivered the perfect response to their World Cup final heartache and have subsequently moved to the top of Group B, albeit on goal difference.
France will look to build on their impressive opening victory when they travel to the Aviva Stadium to face the Republic of Ireland on Monday, while the Netherlands will bid to quickly bounce back from their disappointment in Paris when they play host to Gibraltar, who lost their opening Group B game 3-0 against Greece. body check tags ::
