France vs Denmark score, result: Kylian Mbappe brace gives France win and secures World Cup knockout place

Kyle Bonn

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Simon Borg

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France vs Denmark score, result: Kylian Mbappe brace gives France win and secures World Cup knockout place image

It took until the 86th minute, but France successfully exacted revenge on Denmark for their two UEFA Nations League defeats in the summer, with a Kylian Mbappe brace securing three valuable World Cup points in a 2-1 victory over their European nemesis.

The victory puts France clear atop Group D with six points, and Les Bleus become the first nation at the 2022 World Cup to mathematically secure a knockout-stage place.

It was a resounding performance from France throughout, and Les Bleus were unlucky to reach halftime without securing the opener. They finally managed to do so just past the hour mark, as Mbappe snuck a shot between two defenders and past an in-form Kasper Schmeichel to put France in front.

Denmark gave it a real effort, and they levelled shortly afterwards against the run of play, with defender Andreas Christensen heading home past Hugo Lloris following a set-piece. Yet they could not hang on amidst relentless French pressure, and Mbappe played hero yet again with his second goal just four minutes from time.

The Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights for France vs Denmark at the 2022 World Cup. Follow below for complete results from the Group D match in Qatar.

MORE: How to bet France vs. Denmark

France vs Denmark final score

  1H 2H Final
France 0 2 2
Denmark 0 1 1

Goals:
FRA — Kylian Mbappe (61st min)
DEN — Andreas Christensen (68th min)
FRA — Kylian Mbappe (86th min)

Confirmed lineups:

France (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Lloris (GK) – 5. Kounde, 4. Varane (Konate, 75'), 18. Upamecano, 22. T. Hernandez – 8. Tchouameni, 14. Rabiot – 11. Dembele (Coman, 75'), 7. Griezmann (Fofana, 90+3'), 10. Mbappe – 9. Giroud (Thuram, 63').

Denmark (3-4-3, right to left): 1. Schmeichel (GK) – 2. Andersen, 3. Nelsson, 6. A. Christensen – 5. Maehle, 23. Hojbjerg, 10. Eriksen, 13. Kristensen (Bah, 90+2') — 14 Damsgaard (Dolberg, 73'), 21. Cornelius (Braithwaite, 46'), 25 Lindstrom (Norgaard, 85').

MORE: Watch every World Cup match live with fuboTV (U.S.-only free trial)

LIVE Group D table, standings

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. France 6 2 2 0 0 6 2 +4
2. Australia 3 2 1 1 0 2 4 -2
3. Denmark 1 2 0 1 1 1 2 -1
4. Tunisia 1 2 0 1 1 0 1 -1

France vs Denmark as it happened, highlights from 2022 World Cup

FULLTIME: France 2-1 Denmark

A thrilling match tilts in favor of Les Bleus thanks to Kylian Mbappe's brace, securing a Round-of-16 spot for France, the first nation to do so at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Denmark gave it a real push, but felt second-best through much of the play in Qatar. It's revenge for France from the UEFA Nations League defeats in the summer, and Mbappe has now scored in five of his nine World Cup games.

France vs. Denmark: Second half

90+1 min: There will be six minutes of added time, as Denmark are now throwing players forward. They're making one more change, as Christensen comes off in favor of an Alexander Bah.

The broadcast shows the semi-automated offside technology output on the Mbappe winner, which confirms he was onside, by a HAIR, basically level with the Danish defender on the delivery from Griezmann.

86th min: GOAL! FRANCE! Has Mbappe won it for France? It's that connection again, as the cross from Griezmann meets the head of Mbappe right on the doorstep, and Schmeichel can't do anything about it. The crowd in Qatar explodes and Les Bleus may have snatched all three points.

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81st min: Chance, Denmark! End-to-end stuff, and Martin Braithwaite should score! He meets a delivery from the right flank from Kasper Dolberg, beating Jules Kounde to the cross, but he hacks it wide of the near post. A big chance!

79th min: Chance, France! A double chance for Les Bleus! First, Aurelien Tchouameni meets a corner with a diving header, but it's blocked away by Joakim Maehle. Then, after recycling, there's another headed effort from Griezmann, and again Maehle is there to block it away.

The third corner is less dangerous, but moments later, Adrien Rabiot gives it a go on the bike but he sends it high. That's not a bad effort! Would have been the goal of the tournament. "Who does he think he is, Richarlison?" jokes Fox Sports commentator John Strong.

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75th min: Deschamps has seen enough to make a few changes. Kingsley Coman and Ibrahima Konate come on for Ousmane Dembele and Raphael Varane. Dembele was electric in the first half but has faded since the break. His replacement Coman reportedly had fitness concerns this week in training, but has proven fit to be an option off the bench.

73rd min: Chance, Denmark! The Danes are feeling it now, and Hugo Lloris is called upon to make a HUGE save! It's a point-blank header from Lindstrom. This game is wide open now, and both teams are searching for a winner!

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68th min: GOAL! Denmark! The game's back level against the run of play! France pegged back by a set-piece goal, as a corner sees Andreas Christensen get on the end of the second ball. It was Joachim Andersen who rose high to meet the initial delivery, and his far-post flick comes to Christensen all alone who drops his head to poke it past Lloris.

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67th min: Denmark are out of their shell, and produce a great move forward into the France penalty area, but it's turned away twice before they can get a shot off. The best chance came off a cross way out on the right flank from Lindstrom which hits a France defender and almost falls for Braithwaite and Damsgaard, but it's cleared before either can latch on.

61st min: GOAL! France! Well, it sure had been coming, and now France finally have their deserved lead. It's Kylian Mbappe who plays a brilliant one-two with Griezmann down the left edge of the penalty area. Mbappe's effort is threaded perfectly through two defenders in an extremely tight window, and Schmeichel is screened and can't help.

Immediately after the goal, Deschamps replaces Olivier Giroud, with Marcus Thuram coming on in his place.

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60th min: Chance, France! How have France not scored yet?! Now it's Antoine Griezmann with a horrid miss! He's through on goal on the penalty spot, but he skies the chance! That has to be the opening goal!

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57th min: Chance, France! Mbappe has a shot saved by Schmeichel! He absolutely torches a defender and then turns another to create space, but his effort at the near post is from too tight an angle to trouble the goalkeeper, who stands tall and becomes a wall. The ensuing corner is cleared.

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54th min: Schmeichel comes way out off his line to reach a ball from deep before Mbappe can get to it. He's 15 yards out of his penalty area by the time he gets there and clears. Great performance today from the Denmark goalkeeper and de-facto captain.

50th min: Mbappe starts a break and gets space around two defenders to feed Dembele in the penalty area. The Barcelona winger loops it back over defenders for Mbappe on the one-two, but Schmeichel comes out to claim before Mbappe can get to the bobbling ball in front of goal.

46th min: Back under way for the second half, with one change for Denmark as former Barcelona striker Martin Brathwaite comes on up front for the yellow carded Andreas Cornelius. No changes for France, understandably, as they were by far the better side in the first half.

HALFTIME: France 0-0 Denmark

Halftime: Shocking stat here from Opta, who confirm that the 13 shots from France in that first half were their most ever at halftime without scoring at a major tournament, at least as far as their data dates back to in 1966.

Halftime whistle: That half had everything BUT goals. France dominated for the most part, but Denmark stood tall to the task...barely.

On the other end, Denmark had a few half-chances, but it was mostly one way traffic. That's reflected by the expected goals tally, with France collecting 0.95 xG on 13 shots, while Denmark had just two efforts for 0.05 xG. Kasper Schmeichel has done quite well to keep the scoreline level.

France vs. Denmark: First half

45+3 min: Weird moment as Kylian Mbappe's fizzed shot on goal hits Olivier Giroud in the head.

43rd min: Yellow card for Jules Kounde who steps on the ankle of Denmark center-back Victor Nelsson, who is in pain and needs treatment.

40th min: Chance, France! A BAD MISS FROM MBAPPE! France again break through Dembele down the right, and the Barcelona attacker serves a perfect cut-back from the byline to Mbappe right on the penalty spot. The PSG attacker has been good thus far, but he skies his effort miles over the crossbar. The goal was gaping...

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39th min: OOF Cornelius produces a highlight reel play as he nutmegs Theo Hernandez. Denmark not backing down from the defending champs!

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36th min: Denmark decide to play with pace on the counter, and it works their best chance of the half, but Cornelius's shot is into the side netting from a tight angle. Lloris looked unsettled on the chance, caught a little high and having to track back into position, but no bother.

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34th min: Denmark are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Another attacking move with pace sees Schmeichel needed for a kick-save on Griezmann's driven cross along the face of goal. There are a few follow-up attempts for France attackers in the penalty area, but they're blocked. Denmark defenders putting their bodies on the line, and that's the only thing that has kept France out.

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30th min: Chance, France! Kylian Mbappe weaves his way into space down the left, and his ball across the penalty area is too strong, but it comes to Jules Kounde all alone on the far side, with the defense having shaded towards the danger of Mbappe. Kounde lets fly, and the far-post effort seems to have beaten Schmeichel, but it's blocked by a defender before it finds the back of the net.

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29th min: Denmark have a long spell of possession, thanks in part to a mistake by Hugo Lloris on the ball, but they provide very little danger in front of the France goal. They're trying to slow things down and smother the France counter, but it's coming at the cost of their attacking presence.

21st min: Chance, France! WHAT A SAVE by Schmeichel! It's a sensational stop as Adrien Rabiot delivered a vicious header off another Dembele delivery. France very unlucky not to open the scoring.

Moments later, Denmark have another yellow card, shown to Andreas Cornelius as he hacks down Giroud in the middle third. That's two early cautions for Denmark, who will need to be careful moving forward.

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20th min: YELLOW CARD for Andreas Christensen, and the Barcelona center-back may consider himself a lucky man, because he yanked Mbappe down on the counter. It has serious potential for a last man foul and a red for Christensen, but there are two defenders flanking Mbappe on the tackle, so the official chooses the lesser evil.

19th min: France break through the Denmark midfield but they don't have the numbers, and the two-on-seven chance is smothered. Denmark not in a low-block shell, and are holding possession well, but they don't have nearly the attacking venom the defending champions do so far, and a chance of their own moments later goes away.

13th min: Chance, France! Off a free-kick, Griezmann's ball is just over the head of Raphael Varane who got free and rose high to meet it. Then, on the ensuing corner, it's close again at the near post, with Varane this time getting his head to it, and his flicked effort almost sneaking in the far post, but it's cleared off the line.

This game has great energy to it on both sides!

10th min: Chance, France! Olivier Giroud has a great look on a cutback from Dembele, but he whiffs on the chance! It bobbles awkwardly up from the grass near the penalty area, and hits him in the chest, but he can't settle and the chance goes by.

9th min: Denmark have started this match brightly, but now France building into a possessional dominance in the attacking third. Still have not yet threatened Kasper Schmeichel's goal. The former Leicester City goalkeeper is wearing the captain's armband in the absence of Simon Kjaer.

6th min: Look at Ousmane Dembele go! France with a beautiful move forward to get Les Bleus out of their own half, skipping around two tackles and leaving the defenders floundering on the ground. He receives the ball back at the top of the penalty area and lets a shot go, but it's blocked.

3rd min: An early chance for Denmark here as Tchouameni concedes a foul in the attacking third. The officiating crew is a Polish group, so it's an all-European affair in this match. The free-kick is taken short and the service into the box is cleared.

1st min: The game is under way in Qatar! Can France secure a spot in the knockout stage? Or will Denmark take control of the group?

France vs. Denmark: Pre-match analysis, commentary, stats

8 mins to kickoff: France can become the first team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup knockout stage, but the three previous teams with an opportunity to do so with victory failed to grab the chance. Will the defending World Cup champs set the pace?

20 mins to kickoff: This game marks the first time France will play an opponent three times in a calendar year since 1938. They say here in America, usually in reference to the NFL, that it's extremely difficult to beat an opponent three times in one year, no matter the opponent. We'll see what Denmark pulls out to effort for the biggest of the three. Benching captain Kjaer is a very bold move, and one that will raise questions if this game goes belly-up.

40 mins to kickoff: France striker Olivier Giroud, after becoming the nation's joint all-time leading goalscorer, gets his second straight start today against Denmark. In the absence of Karim Benzema, he will be critical to France's chances of repeating. Yet according to reports, he barely even made the World Cup squad in the first place.

1 hour to kickoff: Team news is in, and there's just one surprise in the France starting lineup, as Jules Kounde replaces Benjamin Pavard at right-back. Otherwise, it's as expected, as the only other change is at center-back, with Raphael Varane indeed coming in to claim his spot from Ibrahima Konate.

For Denmark, head coach Kasper Hjulmand has rung a host of changes, including his entire attacking trio. At the back, he's also sat captain Simon Kjaer, which is a massive surprise against the defending champions.

1 hr 10 mins from kickoff: One interesting thing to watch will be France's tactical setup. They deployed a traditional four-back lineup against Australia, and it was their first win in that formation since the end of the Euros. Will they go back to the well, or shift into the three-defender system that has treated them well recently?

1 hr 33 mins from kickoff: If you're looking for a window into how this match could play out, here's my betting preview for the game. Denmark will be looking for a three-peat, but France know how important this match is.

1 hr 56 mins from kickoff: France are looking for revenge against Denmark, who defeated them twice earlier this year in Nations League play. But Denmark have given them fits long before this summer. In fact, the two have almost evenly split their series — eight wins for France, seven for Denmark, and two draws across the 17 all-time meetings. Denmark also won their most recent World Cup matchup, a 2-0 victory in the 2002 World Cup that confirmed Les Bleus place in the basement of Group A.

2 hrs 30 mins from kickoff: The team news is still a way off for this one, but we already have a hint of who will be starting for France! As predicted, it looks like Varane is set to feature — although whether that shirt is on the pitch from the start or is on the bench remains to be seen!

3 hrs from kickoff: For Denmark, this match will obviously be another step in the emotional return to the major stage for Christian Eriksen, after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch at last year's Euro 2020 finals. You can read all about his heart-warming return to the highest levels of the game in this article written by my colleague, Patrick Brischetto.

3 hrs 30 mins from kickoff: Well France now know the task that awaits them to qualify for the knockouts, after Australia's hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tunisia in the early match. That makes it simple for Les Bleus, win and they are the first team to officially book their spot in the last 16 of the World Cup!

4 hrs from kickoff: Manchester United center-back Raphael Varane is reportedly set to start against the Danes:

4 hrs 30 mins from kickoff: Did you know that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is of Franco-Danish heritage?

5 hrs from kickoff: Much has been made of Denmark's previous two victories against France this year. No team has defeated France three times in the SAME calendar year.

France vs. Denmark lineups, team news

France manager Didier Deschamps has brought on Raphael Varane at center-back after pairing Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano against Australia. Theo Hernandez takes over at left-back for his brother, Lucas, who ruptured the ACL in his right knee against Australia. Jules Kounde comes in at right-back for Benjamin Pavard.

France confirmed lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): . Lloris (GK) – 5. Kounde, 4. Varane, 18. Upamecano, 22. T. Hernandez – 8. Tchouameni, 14. Rabiot – 11. Dembele, 7. Griezmann, 10. Mbappe – 9. Giroud  

Starting central midfielder Thomas Delaney will miss the rest of the World Cup due to injury.

Head coach Kasper Hjulmand has made a complete round of changes, many of them eye-popping. He's kept his three-CB formation, but has sat captain Simon Kjaer, with Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson coming in to replace him. Also benched is Kasper Dolberg who is sat alongside both attackers who played alongside him in the opener.

In their places come a trio of reinforcements in Andreas Cornelius, Mikkel Damsgaard, and Jesper Lindstrom.

Denmark (3-4-3, right to left): 1. Schmeichel (GK) – 2. Andersen, 3. Nelsson, 6. A. Christensen – 5. Maehle, 23. Hojbjerg, 10. Eriksen, 13. Kristensen — 14 Damsgaard, 21. Cornelius, 25 Lindstrom.

France vs Denmark live stream, TV channel

Does Denmark have France's number? Here's how to watch the action from Stadium 974 around the glob, as the Danes target an unprecedented third straight victory in 2022 over Les Bleus.

  Date Time TV Channel Streaming
USA Saturday, Nov. 26 11:00 ET FS1, Telemundo fuboTV,
Fox Sports site/app,
Telemundo Deportes site/app,
Peacock
Canada Saturday, Nov. 26 11:00 ET TSN, CTV, RDS (French) TSN site/app, CTV site/app,
RDS app
UK Saturday, Nov. 26 16:00 GMT ITV, STV ITVX, STV Player
Australia Sunday, Nov. 26 03:00 AEDT SBS SBS On Demand
India Saturday, Nov. 26 21:30 IST Sports18 Voot, JioTV
Hong Kong Sunday, Nov. 27 00:00 HKT Now TV (Ch. 616, 618) Now TV
Malaysia Sunday, Nov. 27 00:00 MYT Astro Astro GO
Singapore Sunday, Nov. 27 00:00 SGT StarHub (Ch. 251/252), Singtel TV MeWatch, Singtel TV GO,
CAST, StarHub TV+
New Zealand Sunday, Nov. 27 05:00 NZDT Sky Sport 7 beIN Sports Sky Go, Sky Sport NOW

Watch the match on fuboTV in USA:

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.

Simon Borg

Simon Borg Photo

Simon Borg is a senior editor at The Sporting News who has covered football/soccer for over a decade. A supporter of Italian club Parma Calcio from his years growing up in Europe, he was previously a long-time member of Major League Soccer's digital media team, as a multimedia content producer, on-air personality, and Editor-in-Chief. Based in New York City, Borg is multilingual and has covered the domestic and global scene for TSN since 2021.