France vs Scotland. International Match.
Stade Pierre-MauroyAttendance40,000.
Match report as Benjamin Pavard's double, a Kylian Mbappe penalty and Kingsley Coman see France to a 4-1 win over Scotland in Lille, despite Steve Clarke's side taking early lead through Billy Gilmour
Wednesday 18 October 2023 09:28, UK
A Kylian Mbappe-inspired France taught Scotland a harsh lesson in the challenges they will face at Euro 2024 next summer with a 4-1 friendly win in Lille.
Steve Clarke's much-changed side took a shock lead at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy when Billy Gilmour smartly curled home Eduardo Camavinga's horror pass for his first senior goal.
But the lead lasted only five minutes, with a quick-fire Benjamin Pavard double from a corner and an Mbappe cross rapidly turning the game on its head.
Mbappe stepped up to score himself from the spot before half-time after Liam Cooper was penalised by VAR for a shirt pull on Olivier Giroud.
Antoine Griezmann should have added the fourth himself 20 minutes from time but his close-range effort rebounded off the bar to Kingsley Coman, who lashed in to put a real shine on the scoreline for the World Cup runners-up.
Jacob Brown, Nathan Patterson and Stuart Armstrong forced Mike Maignan into late saves for Scotland as Clarke's side kept pushing for a consolation.
But they left in no doubt of how far they have to improve when the European Championships kick-off next summer after a third straight defeat against top-tier opposition.
"Tonight in possession was as good as we've been," Steve Clarke said. "We passed the ball well, we were better on the ball, against a good side. But the really tough side, digging it out at the back, you can't be so slack defensively. You can't give good teams set-play goals.
"We know we can defend better. We will defend better in the future."
Scotland enjoyed a surprising amount of ball and territory in the early stages of their friendly against the World Cup runners-up.
Taking the lead in Lille was still a shock, its scorer even more of a surprise.
Camavinga's blind pass was the perfect pick-out for Gilmour eight yards out, but his cool finish into the far corner was not one of a player scoring his first senior goal in his 108th game.
Scotland barely had time to celebrate their lead, however. Within moments, France's first corner of the game had been turned home by Pavard's glancing header, with the aid of the far post to beat debutant Liam Kelly.
France's rapid response was complete eight minutes later thanks to a moment of class from Mbappe, though Scotland were still run uncomfortably ragged.
After turning Jack Hendry inside the area, the France captain clipped an inviting ball through the six-yard box which Pavard met again to nod beyond Kelly.
Scotland's bright start had already turned to a backs-to-the-wall job. The scoreline threatened to get ugly once VAR spotted a clear tug on Giroud's shirt by Cooper, and Mbappe just evaded Kelly's commendable dive from 12 yards to add a third four minutes before the break.
If Clarke asked his players to be braver at half-time, they certainly delivered. Quicker into the tackle, the tempo upped and the ball moved with greater purpose, they controlled the early stages of the second period before a hammer-blow fourth midway through the half.
Mbappe was the instigator again, feeding substitute Marcus Thuram to cross for Griezmann, whose flying slide crashed the ball against the woodwork from four yards. Coman made amends, firing home powerfully from the angle past half-time arrival Zander Clark.
Scotland continued unabated, with Brown increasingly lively and unlucky not to net his first Scotland goal after holding off Pavard, turning and forcing Maignan into a low stop with a rasping drive.
Patterson and Armstrong both caused problems from wide to test Maignan further, before Brown telegraphed a header straight at the AC Milan goalkeeper late on.
A fifth home goal would have been harsh on Scotland, who had the woodwork to thank in the dying moments as Thuram latched onto a raking Coman pass and smacked the bar in the final chance of note.
Clarke's side were left on the end of a third defeat in the spin against top-tier opposition, and will hope for better than their results against England, Spain and now France when they arrive in Germany next summer.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke:
'We played a good team tonight, a team who are a big threat, especially one-on-one.
"We started the game really well, the first 15 minutes was really good and we got ourselves in front. To concede from a corner is disappointing, you know France can score in open play so we try not to give away goals from set-plays and the first two were.
"The second one's a second phase of a set play, and the third one is a really soft penalty. I thought the VAR shouldn't have get involved. It was soft, and the referee has to be a bit stronger when he goes to have a look at it. Both players were at it.
"Second half was okay, we passed the ball well, but every time France go forward with their pace, power and quality they're always a threat. Lots to learn, lots to improve. We're not at that level yet, but it's one we'll strive to get to.
"We lost two games, we don't like losing, I don't want it to be comfortable to lose. We spoke about that after the game, it's important we set standards higher than that. We've lost three in a row now, and I've asked them that when we go to Georgia, we make sure we stop this run."
Sky Sports' Ron Walker:
"This scoreline was not kind on Scotland. This kind of ruthless test is exactly what Steve Clarke wanted from the last three matches and their opponents have delivered, winning all three netting nine times between them.
"There is a lot to be learned defensively, where his side must be sharper and more resolute against top-tier individuals. That is their biggest concern at the moment.
"Further up-field, there is more to be positive about. Scotland scored once, and should have had more. Even after Kingsley Coman added a fourth to make this a thrashing, they continued to push and gave Mike Maignan the lion's share of his work for the night.
"Lewis Ferguson showed flashes of his Bologna form, but would have liked to have been more involved in the game. Jacob Brown was lively off the bench, Ryan Christie too.
"Building spirit and fortitude is often harder than ironing out technical issues. There is plenty of time for that between now and next summer. Whatever happens in Germany, it won't be for a lack of drive."
Scotland return to action in November with two Euro 2024 Group A qualifiers as they go to Georgia on November 16 followed by a home game against Norway on November 19.
Meanwhile, France's final two qualifiers in Group B next month are against Gibraltar at home and Greece away.
