Lemar and Mbappe destroy Dutch

Thomas Lemar and Kylian Mbappe underlined why they have had Europe’s top sides chasing them all summer as they scored three goals between them in France’s crushing 4-0 victory over Holland in a World Cup qualifier at the Stade de France.

Lemar, pictured, who has been tracked by Liverpool and Arsenal in the close season, scored two goals after Antoine Griezmann’s firsthalf strike, the first of them a peach of a volley from the edge of the area. Eighteen-year-old forward Mbappe, who completed what could ultimately be a £166 million move from Monaco to Paris St Germain on deadline day, demonstrated his dynamism in an incredible 15-minute cameo, playing a give and go with Djibril Sidibe before drilling in France’s fourth in injury time.

The win took France three points clear of Sweden in Group A in the race for a place in next summer’s finals in Russia as the Scandinavians suffered a defeat in Bulgaria.

Les Bleus dominated the early exchanges and the goal the hosts had threatened arrived in the 14th minute. Griezmann played a one-two with Olivier Giroud on the edge of the box and rolled a low left-foot shot through the legs of Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen. Holland were reduced to ten men just after the hour when Kevin Strootman received a second yellow card for a challenge on Griezmann. Lemar finally killed off the Dutch as he unleashed a rising shot which gave Cillessen no chance at all. Lemar added his second and France’s third as he finished off a break with a close-range finish from Griezmann’s pass before substitute Mbappe had the final word.