Mbappe stars as France win big

Nice (France), June 3: Karim Benzema said he was happy with his performance despite a missed penalty as he made his first France appearance in almost six years in Wednesday’s 3-0 Euro 2020 friendly win over Wales in Nice.

Benzema had been left out of Didier Deschamps’ squad since October 2015 due to his alleged role in a blackmail plot.

Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele were on the scoresheet for the World Cup winners against the Euro 2016 semifinalists, who had Neco Williams sent off for handling the ball in his area.

Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold gave Gareth Southgate a Euro 2020 injury scare as Bukayo Saka scored his first goal for England in Wednesday’s 1-0 friendly win against Austria. Liverpool right-back Alexander-Arnold limped off late in the second half after injuring his thigh while clearing the ball. He looked emotional as he needed assistance to hobble around the Riverside Stadium pitch.

In another match, Memphis Depay scored twice to salvage a 2-2 draw for the Netherlands in a pre-Euro 2020 friendly on Wednesday against a Scotland side missing seven players following midfielder John Fleck’s positive Covid-19 test

Celtic centre-back Jack Hendry drilled in from 20 yards to give Scotland an early lead in Faro with his first international goal, but Depay soon equalised with a crisp volley. Elsewhere, Mats Hummels and Thomas Mueller made their return to international football after a two-year exile as Germany were held to a 1-1 draw.