FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Germany crush Luxembourg; Kylian Mbappe shines for France | Football News
Germany, four-time World Cup winners, returned to winning ways on Friday, thrashing 10-man Luxembourg 4-0 to reclaim top spot in Group A. Captain Joshua Kimmich was the star of the show, scoring a first-half penalty and tapping in a second goal shortly after the break. David Raum’s precise free-kick and Serge Gnabry’s early second-half strike sealed the emphatic win for Julian Nagelsmann’s side.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Germany, who endured group-stage exits in both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, showed a renewed poise and swagger missing from their earlier qualifiers. The victory moved them level on points with Slovakia and Northern Ireland, but ahead on goal difference. Luxembourg’s task became near-impossible after Dirk Carlson was sent off for a handball inside the box within the first 20 minutes, conceding the penalty that Kimmich converted.Northern Ireland kept alive hopes of a fourth World Cup appearance and a first since 1986, defeating Slovakia 2-0 at Windsor Park. An early own goal from Patrik Hrosovsky and a stunning late volley by Trai Hume secured the win. “It was a great night, good performance and the most important thing is the three points,” Hume said.
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In Paris, Kylian Mbappe continued his fine form at Parc des Princes, scoring just before halftime to mark his 10th goal in consecutive games for Real Madrid and France. Adrien Rabiot and the returning Florian Thauvin also scored as Didier Deschamps’ side eased past Azerbaijan 3-0, remaining unbeaten after three matches and leading Group D. Despite the win, Deschamps urged caution ahead of Monday’s clash in Iceland. “It’s three points more but perhaps not in the way we wanted… Monday will be another game, another context,” he said.Elsewhere, Switzerland maintained their perfect record in Group B, defeating Sweden 2-0, while Kosovo and Slovenia played out a goalless draw. Belgium, chasing a 13th World Cup appearance, were held 0-0 by North Macedonia, who currently top Group J after famously eliminating Germany from the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.With key wins and dominant performances from the likes of Germany, France, and Switzerland, the race for World Cup qualification in Europe is heating up, leaving fans eagerly anticipating Monday’s pivotal fixtures.
