France substitute Kylian Mbappe engineered two late goals to rescue a 2-2 draw against Iceland and spare the blushes of the world champions in their friendly in Guingamp on Thursday.
The home side enjoyed the lion's share of possession and created plenty of good scoring opportunities, but Iceland, hammered 6-0 and 3-0 in their last two games by Switzerland and Belgium, still managed to take the lead on the half-hour mark.
Alfred Finnbogason dispossessed defender Presnel Kimpembe near the corner flag before jinking inside Lucas Digne and squaring the ball to the onrushing Birkir Bjarnason, who side-footed it home from the edge of the area.
Kylian Mbappé has now scored 68 goals for club & country in his first-team career.
— Squad Football (@Squadfootball_) October 12, 2018
One 1 came from penalty ? pic.twitter.com/G5AvWxj6V2
It was Iceland's first goal under new coach Erik Hamren and Kari Arnason added their second 13 minutes into the second half, flicking a near-post corner past France keeper Hugo Lloris and into the net.
That prompted the introduction of Mbappe, who scored France's fourth goal in their 4-2 World Cup final win over Croatia.
The Iceland players threw themselves frantically at every ball in a concerted effort to keep their clean sheet, but they were undone in the 86th minute.
Kylian Mbappe came off the bench to be a game-changer for France with two late goals.
— Football MailOnline (@MailFooty) October 12, 2018
Report: https://t.co/zd3uxXcS4h https://t.co/zd3uxXcS4h
After having a goal ruled out for offside, the 19-year-old Mbappe hammered a shot that goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson deflected into Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson, who sent it bouncing across the line for an own goal.
Mbappe levelled the scores four minutes later, stepping up to rifle the ball home from the penalty spot after a handball by Kolbeinn Sigthorsson.
30' France 0-1 Iceland
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 11, 2018
58' France 0-2 Iceland
59' Mbappe subbed on
86' France 1-2 Iceland
90' France 2-2 Iceland
The @KMbappe effect ⚡ pic.twitter.com/fzaaQz3TYS
France host Germany at the Stade de France on Tuesday in their third UEFA Nations League A, Group 1 match, having picked up four points from their opening two games.
Iceland host Switzerland in Group 2 on Monday.
