Kylian Mbappé limped off with an apparent knee injury, moments after scoring France’s winner against Turkey in the Nations League on Friday. The Real Madrid striker rifled in a low shot in the 55th minute after he was set up by Michael Olise. Soon after his record-extending 67th France goal, Mbappé sat on the ground and grimaced as he rubbed the area around his left knee.
The new France head coach, Zinedine Zidane, replaced Mbappé with Désiré Doué. In an encouraging sight, he was able to walk off the field of his own accord – but Zidane said afterwards that he expects his captain to return to Real Madrid for treatment. Unfortunately I think he [Mbappé] is going to have to go home.
We don’t want to take any risks,” Zidane told French broadcaster TF1. It’s not very encouraging.” Jules Koundé hit the post for France before Turkey were reduced to 10 men, goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir sent off for handling the ball outside his area after Bradley Barcola had been played through on goal. Elsewhere in Group A2, Roberto Mancini’s second debut as the Italy head coach ended with a barrage of boos as the Azzurri were beaten 2-0 at home by Belgium.
Mika Godts marked his first competitive cap with a fine individual goal after 20 minutes at the Stadio Olimpico. Dodi Lukebakio’s powerful strike in the 69th minute put the visitors out of sight in a chastening first game for Mancini, who accepted the home fans’ frustration. Earlier, Shea Charles scored a last-gasp winner after his brother Pierce saved Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s penalty as Northern Ireland began their Nations League campaign with a dramatic 1-0 win over Georgia in Tbilisi.
Pierce Charles guessed right to keep out a poor penalty from Kvaratskhelia in the 65th minute, having already made an excellent save to keep out Georges Mikautadze’s close-range shot earlier in the second half of their Group B2 game. At the other end, Shea Charles had spurned the visitors’ best chances to score but, in the ninth minute of time added on, he scrambled home from Trai Hume’s cross, securing a first ever away win for Northern Ireland in the Nations League. There was a nervous VAR check for offside but eventually Shea Charles could celebrate just his second international goal.
Although Northern Ireland left the pitch celebrating, there was a major blow in stoppage time as defender Dan Ballard pulled up clutching his hamstring. Michael O’Neill had been frustrated with several decisions from the referee, Orel Grinfeeld – not least the penalty, which came after Ballard and Luka Locoshvili tussled in the box and Grinfeeld was sent to the VAR monitor. Northern Ireland’s next opponents, Hungary, lost 1-0 to Ukraine in Budapest thanks to Danylo Sikan’s goal.
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