Giroud’s goal drought ends in style as world champions see off Dutch

World Cup winners France marked their homecoming celebrations with a 2-1 Nations League win over the Netherlands last night.

Striker Olivier Giroud, who failed to find the net as Les Bleus lifted the World Cup Trophy in July, was the matchwinner after Kylian Mbappe and Ryan Babel had earlier traded goals.

After opening their Nations League campaign on Thursday with a 0-0 draw in Germany, this was France’s first home match since their heroics in the summer. There was a huge mosaic of two stars in the main stand before kickoff and a banner spanning the length of the pitch which read “CHAMPIONS DU MONDE”.

The hosts only took 14 minutes to go in front. It was terrible defending from the Netherlands as a header from Quincy Promes inside his own half gave possession straight to Blaise Matuidi. He cut the ball back for Mbappe to roll it into an open net from two yards out.

The free-flowing French were in total control but, after being largely anonymous for so much of the game, the Dutch burst into life midway through the second half. Georginio Wijnaldum dragged a decent chance wide from six yards then moments later they were level, as 31-year-old former Ajax and Liverpool striker Babel finished off a Kenny Tete cross.

The French, though, simply stepped up a gear again and Giroud put them back in front in the 75th minute. Substitute Benjamin Mendy crossed into the area and the Chelsea striker nipped in front of Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk to volley home.

On Saturday, Northern Ireland’s campaign got off to a frustrating start as they lost 2-1 to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Belfast despite dominating.

Michael O’neill’s side – with Rangers’ Kyle Lafferty in attack and Aberdeen’s Niall Mcginn on the right wing – failed to make their 67 per cent possession count until Will Grigg’s stoppage-time 0 Olivier Giroud: Volleyed in the winner in the 75th minute.

strike, having been hit twice by a Bosnia side who rarely got out of their own half.

Haris Duljevic opened the scoring in the 37th minute and Elvis Saric capitalised on a mix-up between Craig Cathcart and Bailey Peacock-farrell to seal it on 64 minutes.

Tonight, Portugal will start their campaign in Uefa’s new competition by hosting Italy in Lisbon. Veteran defender Pepe will win his 101st cap.