"Les Bleus named a much-changed team at the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium, with Kylian Mbappe among their absentees after he withdrew from the squad with an ankle injury. And Azerbaijan were dreaming of a famous win when Renat Dadashov got across the front post to divert Rahman Dasdamirov's left-wing cross home in the fourth minute. The hosts continued to take the game to France, but the visitors got level in the 17th minute as Mateta met Malo Gusto's dinked cross with a close-range header."
"France had two goals disallowed for handball in the build-up during the first half, with Christopher Nkunku and Khephren Thuram the players to be denied. However, they still entered half-time with a two-goal cushion as Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche got off the mark in international football with a tap-in, and Azerbaijan goalkeeper Sahruddin Mahammadaliyev sent a miscued punch into his own net under pressure from Thuram."
"There was less goalmouth action in the second half as France exerted total control, with Mateta spurning a chance for his first international brace and Thuram also firing over. France finish top of Group D in the UEFA qualification process with 16 points from six games, six clear of Ukraine, who leapfrogged Iceland with a 2-0 win elsewhere on Sunday."
France secured a 3-1 victory over Azerbaijan in Baku, with Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring to level before Maghnes Akliouche and an own goal made it 3-1. Azerbaijan took an early lead through Renat Dadashov, but Mateta equalized in the 17th minute with a close-range header. Two France goals were disallowed for handball in the first half. Monaco's Akliouche recorded his first international goal, and Azerbaijan goalkeeper Sahruddin Mahammadaliyev later sent a miscued punch into his own net. Kylian Mbappe missed the match with an ankle injury. France finished top of Group D with 16 points and qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
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