France 7-1 Ukraine: Olivier Giroud marks 100th cap with brace as 17-year-old sensation Eduardo Camavinga celebrates first start with goal for Les Bleus in rout at Stade de France
- Exciting 17-year-old Eduardo Camavinga scored first France goal on first start
- Olivier Giroud marked his 100th cap for his country with his 41st and 42nd goals
- He overtook Michel Platini and is only behind Thierry Henry, who scored 51
- Vitalii Mykolenko scored an own goal to put Les Bleus up 4-0 at half time
- Corentin Tolisso then added the fifth with a well struck shot outside the box
- Kylian Mbappe then rounded off a superb display with a goal to make it 6-1
- Antoine Griezmann had time to make it seven and complete the rout
On a night when youth and experience aligned, striker Olivier Giroud scored twice on his 100th appearance for France and teenager Eduardo Camavinga celebrated his first start by scoring an acrobatic goal in a 7-1 thrashing of Ukraine in a friendly on Wednesday.
Giroud’s brace moved the Chelsea striker onto 42 international goals, one more than Michel Platini in France’s all-time scorers’ list, which Thierry Henry tops with 51.
‘It’s obviously an immense pride, a great honor,’ Giroud said. ‘It was a friendly game, but also my 100th cap, an emotionally charged match. I’ve moved past a French football legend, now I don’t want to set limits.’
It was a night to remember for both Eduardo Camavinga (left) and Olivier Giroud
Camavinga broke the deadlock against Ukraine with a first goal on his first start for France
The youngster has a bright future and is already delivering on the big stage for Les Bleus
The 34-year-old Giroud gave the world champions a 2-0 lead in the 24th minute following Camavinga’s opener, with a superb left-footed strike from outside the box into the top corner.
Wearing the captain’s armband, he doubled his tally after the half-hour mark with a diving header from a rebound.
Hard-hit by positive COVID-19 tests and injuries, Ukraine fielded a depleted side and trailed 4-0 at halftime after Vitaliy Mykolenko scored an own goal as he tried to clear the ball away five minutes before the interval.
Ukraine enjoyed a good spell after the break despite France coach Didier Deschamps bringing on Kylian Mbappe, and substitute Viktor Tsygankov pulled one back for the visitors.
Giroud netted on his 100th appearance for France and is still going strong up front
The Chelsea forward scored twice in the first half as France blew Ukraine away
The World Champions looked in formidable form in the friendly game at the Stade de France
Corentin Tolisso, Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann completed France’s win.
With his goal, the highly-rated Camavinga became the second youngest player to score with France, at 17 years, 11 months. Maurice Gastiger was just six months younger when he scored against Switzerland on March, 8, 1914.
Widely regarded as France’s next big star, the Rennes midfielder made his international last month against Croatia, making the most of Paul Pogba’s withdrawal after the Manchester United player tested positive for COVID-19.
Giroud is now second in the list of top scorers for the French behind Thierry Henry
Corentin Tolisso netted the fifth and was congratulated by Antoine Griezmann
Playing his second match with the national team, Camavinga displayed his flair and great technique to put the hosts ahead in the ninth minute. After Ukraine goalkeeper Heorhii Bushchan parried away a close-range header from Giroud, Camavinga latched onto the rebound and sent the ball into the opposite corner with a clever overhead kick, with his back to the net.
Only 1,000 fans were allowed into the Stade de France because of coronavirus restrictions.
France next play Portugal on Sunday in the Nations League before traveling to Croatia on October 14. Ukraine host Germany in Kyiv on Saturday and Spain three days later.
Kylian Mbappe struck the sixth goal of the game in what became embarrassing for Ukraine
Antoine Griezmann got in on the act and netted the seventh to round the win off
The World Cup winners were in formidable form and will take some beating at the Euros
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