Mbappe and Ekitike score as 10-man France beat Brazil in World Cup warm-up
Kylian Mbappe put his knee injury worries behind him and scored France's opener in a 2-1 friendly win over Brazil at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Thursday night. It was a performance that suggested the Real Madrid forward is back to full fitness with the World Cup three months away.
Mbappe silences fitness doubts
Mbappe had not played a full 90 minutes for two weeks after picking up a knock in La Liga action. Questions about whether he would be ready for the World Cup were starting to build. He answered them with a clinical finish in the 32nd minute to give France the lead.
Upamecano sees red but France stay in control
The match turned in the 55th minute when Dayot Upamecano hauled down Brazil's Wesley as the last defender. The referee initially showed yellow, but VAR intervened and upgraded the card to red. France were down to 10 men with almost 40 minutes still to play.
It barely mattered. Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike extended the lead in the 65th minute, finishing a counter-attack that left the Brazilian defence stretched. Bremer pulled one back for Brazil in the 78th minute with a close-range finish, but France's defensive shape held firm for the remaining minutes.
What this means for the World Cup
For France, the result was less important than what they learned. Mbappe is fit, the squad can cope with adversity, and the depth in attack is real. For Brazil, it was another frustrating night in a cycle of inconsistent results heading into a World Cup in North America they are expected to challenge for.
Both nations will be among the favourites when the tournament kicks off in the United States, Mexico and Canada in June.
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