BOSTON— Kylian Mbappe moved to within one goal of equalling France’s all-time scoring record with the opener in a 2-1 win over Brazil as two of the leading World Cup contenders faced off in a glamour friendly in the United States.
Mbappe ran through to beat goalkeeper Ederson with a delightful chipped finish to give France the lead just after the half-hour mark at the Gillette Stadium near Boston, AFP reported.
France, World Cup winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, had defender Dayot Upamecano sent off early in the second half but shrugged that off to double their lead courtesy of Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike on 65 minutes.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil did pull one back 12 minutes from time via a close-range finish by Juventus defender Gleison Bremer, but Les Bleus held on for a victory that will boost confidence two and a half months before the World Cup begins. They play Senegal, Norway and a play-off winner in the group stage.
The sight of captain Mbappe scoring in trademark lethal fashion is especially good news for coach Didier Deschamps, after the Real Madrid superstar returned from three weeks out with a knee injury just ahead of this international get-together.
The 27-year-old Mbappe has now scored 56 goals in 95 appearances for his country, leaving him just one goal away from equalling the France record of 57 goals held by the recently-retired Olivier Giroud.
Mbappe will have the chance to match, and perhaps surpass, that record when France plays Colombia in the second friendly of this American tour, at the Northwest Stadium near Washington DC on Sunday.
There have been four encounters between these powerhouse nations at past World Cups, including the 1998 World Cup final won by France and the 2006 quarterfinal in which Les Bleus also triumphed.
However, this was their first meeting of any sort since a friendly in Paris exactly 11 years ago, won 3-1 by Brazil.
The Brazilians go into this year’s World Cup – in which they will face Morocco, Scotland and Haiti in the group stage – hoping the recent appointment as coach of the revered Ancelotti can make them serious contenders to claim a record-extending sixth title.
But this match will have reminded them of the standards required against the very best sides in the international game.
Brazil were admittedly missing a host of key players here, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker, defensive duo Gabriel Magalhaes and Eder Militao, midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and forwards Rodrygo and Estevao among those absent.
France, meanwhile, were without Arsenal centre-back William Saliba, but a fearsome attack included Mbappe, Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise and Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele, the reigning Ballon d’Or.
Dembele released Mbappe for the opener, and that separated the teams at the break.
