Racing Post

Mbappe set to show his creative side

By James Milton

FRANCE needed an own goal from Mats Hummels to seal a 1-0 win over Germany in their Group F opener but there was plenty to like about their new-look front three.

Kylian Mbappe worked the flanks well, cutting in from the left to beat Manuel Neuer with a delightful finish which was ruled out for offside.

And the Paris St-Germain star was also denied an assist due to an offside call after he sped away down the right before delivering an inviting ball for Karim Benzema to smash home.

Betfair offer 4-1 that Mbappe sets up a goal against section outsiders Hungary in Budapest – he is just 9-4 for an assist with other bookmakers – and those odds may underestimate his creative threat.

A more destructive approach may be taken by Poland as they bid to bounce back from a surprise 2-1 defeat to Slovakia in Group E.

The Poles had the experienced Grzegorz Krychowiak sent off for two bookable offences during that loss and they may struggle to keep their discipline against a Spain side who completed 854 passes to Sweden’s 103 in their goalless draw in Sevilla.

Poland may well cross the line in their attempts to knock La Roja off their stride and Jan Bednarek, Kamil Glik and Mateusz Klich are all candidates to pick up a yellow card.

Much of Spain’s probing against Sweden came down the left so preference is for rightsided centre-back Bartosz Bereszynski, who attempted five tackles against Slovakia, only two of which were successful.

Cristiano Ronaldo showed against Hungary that he is not in the mood to be overshadowed by Portugal’s younger stars and he is 5-2 favourite to be man of the match against Germany.

At the prices, though, Diogo Jota looks worth a small bet. The Liverpool man had three shots against Hungary, two of them on target, and had scored six goals in his last six competitive internationals before this tournament.

QUALIFYING, SKY SPORTS F1, 2PM

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2021-06-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

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