Given the visitors’ dismal past record against Les Bleus, their defence-first policy in Paris was understandable. Didier Deschamps’ side were struggling to find a way past a resolute Iceland backline until Michael Olise brilliantly played in Marcus Thuram, whose sliding attempt was kept out by Elias Olafsson.
The Inter Milan forward had another chance to break the deadlock, heading over from Kylian Mbappe’s cross before Iceland struck first to stun the Parc des Princes.
Olise inexplicably played a blind ball across his own penalty area, which Andri Gudjohnsen ruthlessly punished with a clinical first-time finish with the outside of his right foot.
A French onslaught seemed inevitable, and Olafsson made two stunning saves in quick succession to deny Thuram and Manu Kone after Aurelien Tchouameni floated a delightful ball into the box.
Arnar Gunnlaugsson’s men were eager to get to the interval with their slender lead intact, but those hopes were dashed when Mikael Anderson was penalised for treading on Thuram’s heel in the box. Mbappe confidently dispatched the subsequent spot-kick heading into first-half stoppage time, moving outright second in France’s all-time top goalscorer list with 52 goals.
Olise came agonisingly close to scoring a second France goal when his stinging effort cannoned off the bar, but they turned the game on its head through Bradley Barcola. Mbappe took Tchouameni’s excellent long ball into his stride and teed up the Paris Saint-Germain forward to tap home from close range.
Tchouameni was having a superb game, but could have few complaints after being shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Jon Dagur Þorsteinsson.
France pressed forward regardless, as Mbappe fired over from distance, but there was a sense that Iceland could provide another sucker-punch.
Soon after, Hakon Arnar Haraldsson rose highest in the box to meet Victor Palsson’s corner and headed just wide at the near post.
Kone looked to put the result beyond any doubt, but slipped just as he was about to take aim from the edge of the box.
However, the visitors continued to look threatening and were denied a late leveller when Gudjohnsen was penalised for a foul on Ibrahima Konate as he bundled the ball home.
This was a largely unconvincing display from Deschamps’ side, but it was enough to make it two wins from their opening two WCQs and move three points clear of Iceland at the top of Group D.
Meanwhile, Iceland can take a lot of confidence from this display, as they target only their second-ever appearance at a World Cup finals.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Michael Olise (France)
Check out the match summary with Flashscore
