Nations League round-up: Kylian Mbappe rescues point for France against Austria but winless run continues
Kylian Mbappe's late goal earned France a 1-1 draw with Austria in Vienna, but keeps up the World Cup holders' winless start to their Nations League group; Croatia picked up a first win of the tournament by beating Denmark 1-0 in Copenhagen
Friday 10 June 2022 22:37, UK
France's winless start to the Nations League continued as they needed substitute Kylian Mbappe to rescue a 1-1 draw against Austria.
Bristol City striker Andreas Weimann netted the opening goal of the game in Vienna, finishing off a slick forward move with one-touch build-up from Marko Arnautovic and Conrad Laimer teeing up the 30-year-old to net his first international goal on his 17th appearance for his country.
France dominated as expected in the Austrian capital but were off-colour again and did not burst into life until the second-half introduction of Mbappe and Christopher Nkunku.
The two combined to level with Mbappe laying off a ball to the RB Leipzig forward on the halfway line, before an inch-perfect through ball found his strike partner on the edge of the box. Two touches later and he had rifled the ball inside Patrick Pentz's near post for a stunning equaliser.
It threatened to get even better late on as the two combined again, with Mbappe denied by a superb stop from the in-form Pentz, tipping his low effort onto the bar and away to safety, with the Rapid Vienna goalkeeper doing his hopes of retaining the No 1 shirt no harm at all with a superb showing between the sticks in his home city.
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That late equaliser denied Austria a chance to go top of their group but Denmark's 1-0 home defeat by Croatia keeps Ralf Rangnick's side in touch with the Euro 2020 semi-finalists.
Former Chelsea midfielder Mario Pasilic grabbed the only goal of the game, scrambling the ball home from a corner to end the hosts' perfect start to their Nations League tournament, and lift Croatia off the bottom of the group at France's expense.
Elsewhere, Shakhtar midfielder Manor Solomon was at the double as Israel recorded their first win of the tournament in Group B2, beating Albania 2-1 in Tirana.
Chelsea forward Armando Broja put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot in first-half injury time before Solomon struck a second-half double to earn Israel their first win of 2022, lifting them above Iceland and into top spot while Albania remain bottom.
Kazakhstan were denied a third straight victory to continue their perfect start to life in Group C3 as Belarus snatched a late equaliser to draw 1-1 in Minsk.
Abat Aimbetov fired the visitors into an early lead but seven minutes from time, Vladislav Malkevich levelled from a corner to earn the hosts a second point from three games.
In Group D1, Andorra earned only their fourth competitive win since 2017 as two goals in the final 12 minutes were enough to beat Liechtenstein 2-1 at the Estadi Nacional.
