Ousmane Dembele’s 25-minute hat-trick allowed France to comfortably beat Norway’s second string 4-1 and complete a perfect Group I campaign.
With qualification already secured for both sides, and only top spot to play for, Norway made 10 changes – leaving Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard on the bench – and it showed.
Their back-up defenders were given a warning as Kylian Mbappe hit the bar inside 22 seconds, but Dembele then struck in the seventh and 20th minutes by finding the same bottom corner.
France’s Ousmane Dembele scores the opening goal
Seventy-nine seconds after Dembele’s second, Norway pulled one back as Thelo Aagsaard – who has a French mother – pulled one back from the edge of the box. But Dembele completed his hat-trick by finding that corner a third time. All three goals saw questionable Norway defending.
Norway missed a chance to pull one back after half-time when they got a penalty after Oscar Bobb was tripped by a lazy Theo Hernandez challenge, but Jorgen Strand Larsen’s weak spot kick after a stutter was easily saved by Mike Maignan.
There was gloss to the scoreline in added time as Desire Doue nodded in his first goal of the tournament from substitute Bradley Barcola’s cross.
The key moments from Boston…
- 1: Mbappe hits the bar after 22 seconds in fire sign of dismal Norway defending.
- 7: GOAL! Dembele fires France ahead by finding the corner despite three defenders around him.
- 20: GOAL! Dembele finds the same corner, this time with his left foot from the edge of the area.
- 21: GOAL! 79 seconds later, Aasgaard scores a clever finish from the edge of the box to pull one back for Norway.
- 32: GOAL! Dembele completes his hat-trick by scoring a carbon copy goal to his second.
- 50: PENALTY MISS! Theo Hernandez fouls Bobb in the penalty area, but Strand Larsen’s weak spot kick is saved by Maignan.
- 72: Bobb has a chance to pull one more back but his one-on-one is saved by Maignan.
- 90+4: GOAL! Doue heads home Barcola’s cross in virtually the last kick of the game.
Who will face who in the round of 32?
France will face one of the third-placed teams – which is most likely to be Sweden – on Tuesday June 30, kick-off at 10pm in New Jersey.
Norway will face Ivory Coast on Tuesday June 30 at 6pm in Dallas, Texas.
Analysis: France are the best team in attack, says Keane
Ousmane Dembele celebrates after giving France an early lead against Norway
Sky Sports’ Roy Keane on ITV:
“Norway were focusing on the knockout game next week. They stuck at it, had good goalscoring opportunities themselves, but they found France too much, particularly the attacking players.
“France scored four and could have got a couple of more. If they keep up their tally of 10 goals in three games – they will be very difficult to stop.
“Going forward, they are the best in the competition. It’s about having good habits and traits.
“What top players do is dictate where you’re going to go. The only concern is when Dembele gets the ball in those areas, you’ve got to get out to him.
“It’s the beauty of the French team, they can keep possession, every one gets a touch on the ball as we saw with their third goal. But they can also have one or two passes and they’re through on goal. They can break you down with possession, and counter-attack. They are two great strengths to have.
“Particularly their wide players – if you can go past people one-vs-one, it can change the picture. We have seen that England have players who struggle to do that, but if you have three or four players in your group that can go past people, it makes things a lot easier.”
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