France and the Netherlands both secured victories in their respective World Cup qualifying matches on Tuesday night, with France surviving a scare against Ireland and the Netherlands easing past Gibraltar.
France, the reigning world champions, came into the match against Ireland as heavy favourites but found themselves behind early on when Shane Duffy headed in from a corner after just eleven minutes. The goal was a wake-up call for France, who began to take control of the game and put the Irish defence under pressure.
The pressure paid off in the 39th minute when Antoine Griezmann scored the equaliser for France, poking the ball home from close range after a scramble in the box. The French then took the lead just before half-time when Paul Pogba’s long-range shot was deflected into the net by Irish defender Duffy.
Despite dominating possession in the second half, France were unable to add to their lead and had to settle for a narrow 2-1 victory. The result leaves them second in Group A, behind Serbia on goal difference.
In contrast, the Netherlands had a much easier time against Gibraltar, winning 6-0 in a one-sided affair. The Dutch were in control from the start and took the lead in the 11th minute when Steven Berghuis scored from close range.
The floodgates then opened, with Luuk de Jong scoring twice in quick succession to put the Netherlands firmly in control. Memphis Depay added a fourth goal before half-time, and the Dutch continued to dominate in the second half, with Donyell Malen and Donny van de Beek adding further goals.
The victory was a much-needed one for the Netherlands, who had suffered a shock defeat to Turkey in their opening match of the World Cup qualifying campaign. The win puts them third in Group G, behind Norway and Turkey.
Overall, it was a mixed night for the European giants, with France surviving a scare to secure a vital victory and the Netherlands bouncing back from their defeat to Turkey with an impressive win. As the qualifying campaign progresses, both teams will be looking to build momentum and secure their places at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
