A double from Kylian Mbappe earned France a 2-1 win against Denmark in Group D and a place into the round of 16 at the Qatar 2022 World Cup on Saturday.
The Paris Saint-Germain star has now bagged his third of the World Cup, ties with Ecuador striker Enner Valencia.
It is France’s second win of the tournament after they opened their campaign with a comfortable 4-1 win against Australia.
For Denmark, who played a goalless draw with Tunisia in their group opener, must now beat Australia to join France in the knockout stage.
France almost opened scoring on 10 minutes after Adrien Rabiot headed a cross down into Olivier Giroud, but the striker could not make proper contact with it.
In the 16th minute Ousmane Dembele beat his marker and sent in a cross which Giroud headed wide under pressure.
It was Rabiot’s turn to go close on 21 minutes but his powerful header off Dembele’s cross was saved by Kasper Schmeichel.
The reigning champions continued to probe and on 33 minutes Antoine Griezmann played a neat one-two on the edge of the box with Giroud and then fired a shot at Schmeichel’s feet from a narrow angle.
With 10 minutes left in the first half Andreas Cornelius had a chance for Denmark only to fire wide.
France continued to dominate and almost scored on 54 minutes after Dembele tried to set up Mbappe but Schmeichel was quickest to the ball.
Just two minutes later Mbappe beat Joachim Andersen raced towards goal only to see his shot stopped by Schmeichel.
France eventually took the lead on 60 minutes thanks to Mbappe who turned in Theo Hernandez’s cut back.
But surprisingly the Danes, who had been second best all through the encounter, drew level through former Chelsea star Andreas Christensen.
A flick from Andersen found Christensen who headed home to register Denmark’s first goal of the tournament on 68 minutes.
The goal seems to ignite Denmark and they almost took the lead on 73 minutes but Hugo Lloris had to save the French blushes to deny Jesper Lindstrom.
With 10 minutes left to play Rabiot tried an overhead kick that just flew wide and few seconds later Martin Braithwaite saw his chance skim off the post.
Despite their impressive fight back it was France who took the lead again on 85 minutes with Mbappe getting his second of the game.
Earlier Australia beat Tunisia 1-0 at the Al Janoub Stadium on Saturday to register their first World Cup victory in 12 years as they provisionally moved up to second position in Group D behind the reigning champions, France, to keep their dreams alive.
Striker Mitchell Duke scored midway through the first half with a glancing header past keeper, Aymen Dahmen, to give Australia the lead, while Tunisia’s best chance came when skipper, Youssef Msakni, shot just wide.
Tunisia brought on the squad’s top scorer, Wahbi Khazri, in the second half as they upped the tempo in search of an equaliser, but the Australian defence stood firm with goalkeeper and skipper, Mat Ryan, a calming presence at the back.
The victory snapped Australia’s seven-match winless run at World Cups since they last picked up three points in a victory over Serbia in 2010.
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