World Cup Qualifying - European - Group A
FranceFrance0LuxembourgLuxembourg0

France 0-0 Luxembourg

Luxembourg's players celebrate at full-time
Luxembourg - who had lost their last 14 games with France - now have five points in Group A

France coach Didier Deschamps was left "infuriated" by his side's failures in front of goal in their goalless draw with Luxembourg, a result labelled "historic" by his opposite number.

The home side had 76% possession, 34 shots and hit the woodwork twice as France failed to win against Luxembourg for the first time since 1914.

"It is infuriating to have so many chances and not score," said Deschamps.

His counterpart Luc Holtz said: "It's a day of glory for Luxembourg football."

Despite playing the team ranked 136 in the world, Deschamps fielded a strong side for the World Cup qualifier in Toulouse, including Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe, who recently joined Paris St-Germain on loan from Monaco with a view to a £166m transfer next summer.

Griezmann did smack a 30-yard free-kick off the bar five minutes before half-time while Pogba saw a header rebound off the frame of the goal late on.

It could have been worse for Les Bleus, though, as Luxembourg substitute Gerson Rodrigues outpaced Laurent Koscielny in the 79th minute before seeing his shot strike an upright.

France, who beat the Netherlands 4-0 on Thursday, stay top of Group A after the stalemate, although their lead over second-placed Sweden is now just one point.

"Thursday's result was important but so was getting three points [against Luxembourg], so we'll need to fight to the end," Deschamps told TF1.

"The last two games will be decisive. We are in a better situation than we were in June, although we are disappointed tonight."

Luxembourg beat Belarus 1-0 on Thursday for their only win of the qualifying campaign so far.

"We are satisfied with the point, which we got playing with a lot of heart, commitment and also success," added Holtz.

"With a bit more luck we would have got the three points.

"For Luxembourg, the result is historic. A point against a top team is extremely rare."

L'Equipe
French sport's newspaper L'Equipe's headline suggests a tense Autumn as France try to qualify for the 2018 World Cup

Line-ups

France

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Lloris
  • 19Sidibe
  • 21Koscielny
  • 5Umtiti
  • 3Kurzawa
  • 20MbappeSubstituted forComanat 59'minutes
  • 13Kanté
  • 6PogbaBooked at 80mins
  • 8Lemar
  • 9GiroudSubstituted forLacazetteat 60'minutes
  • 7GriezmannSubstituted forFekirat 81'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Jallet
  • 4Thauvin
  • 10Lacazette
  • 11Coman
  • 12Tolisso
  • 14Matuidi
  • 15Rabiot
  • 16Mandanda
  • 17Digne
  • 18Fekir
  • 22Kimpembe
  • 23Areola

Luxembourg

Formation 4-4-1-1

  • 1Joubert
  • 18JansBooked at 69mins
  • 6Philipps
  • 4Malget
  • 19JänischBooked at 51mins
  • 11Thill
  • 15Skenderovic
  • 8Martins Pereira
  • 9Alves Da MotaSubstituted forSinaniat 59'minutesBooked at 65mins
  • 10ThillSubstituted forRodriguesat 59'minutes
  • 20TurpelSubstituted forHolterat 87'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Martins
  • 3Ostrowski
  • 5Holter
  • 7Rodrigues
  • 12Czekanowicz
  • 13Carlson
  • 14Sinani
  • 16Veiga
  • 17Hall
  • 21Deville
  • 22Joachim
  • 23Cabral
Referee:
Aleksandar Stavrev
Attendance:
31,177

Match Stats

Home TeamFranceAway TeamLuxembourg
Possession
Home76%
Away24%
Shots
Home34
Away3
Shots on Target
Home9
Away1
Corners
Home10
Away4
Fouls
Home8
Away13

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, France 0, Luxembourg 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, France 0, Luxembourg 0.

  3. Post update

    Samuel Umtiti (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Gerson Rodrigues (Luxembourg).

  5. Post update

    Attempt saved. Djibril Sidibe (France) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

  6. Post update

    Djibril Sidibe (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Gerson Rodrigues (Luxembourg).

  8. Substitution

    Substitution, Luxembourg. Dwayn Holter replaces David Turpel.

  9. Post update

    Hand ball by Gerson Rodrigues (Luxembourg).

  10. Post update

    Foul by Nabil Fekir (France).

  11. Post update

    Christopher Martins Pereira (Luxembourg) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  12. Post update

    Video Review:.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Djibril Sidibe (France).

  14. Post update

    Christopher Martins Pereira (Luxembourg) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, France. Nabil Fekir replaces Antoine Griezmann.

  16. Booking

    Paul Pogba (France) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Paul Pogba (France).

  18. Post update

    Kevin Malget (Luxembourg) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  19. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Daniel Sinani (Luxembourg) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  20. Post update

    Gerson Rodrigues (Luxembourg) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the left side of the box. Assisted by Mathias Jänisch.

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1France85211551017
2Sweden85121871116
3Netherlands84131611513
4Bulgaria84041317-412
5Luxembourg8125717-105
6Belarus8125416-125

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Switzerland88001831524
2Portugal87012842421
3Hungary8314119210
4Faroe Islands8224415-118
5Andorra8116217-154
6Latvia8107318-153

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Germany77002922721
2Northern Ireland75111421216
3Czech Rep723210739
4Norway7214810-27
5Azerbaijan7214311-87
6San Marino7007133-320

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Serbia7430167915
2Republic of Ireland734095413
3Wales7250105511
4Austria72239908
5Georgia7043711-44
6Moldova7025418-142

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Poland75111511416
2Montenegro74121771013
3Denmark7412146813
4Romania72328719
5Armenia7205715-86
6Kazakhstan7025419-152

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1England75201421217
2Slovakia7502134915
3Scotland73221210211
4Slovenia732264211
5Lithuania7124614-85
6Malta7007219-170

G

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Spain76102432119
2Italy75111871116
3Albania740398112
4Israel7304913-49
5North Macedonia7205913-46
6Liechtenstein7007126-250

H

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Belgium87103533222
2Bos-Herze84221981114
3Greece8341115613
4Cyprus8314812-410
5Estonia8224617-118
6Gibraltar8008337-340

I

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Croatia75111221016
2Ukraine7421115614
3Iceland741297213
4Turkey7322118311
5Finland7115510-54
6Kosovo7016319-161
View full World Cup Qualifying - European tables

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