France were held to a surprise draw by Ukraine as they got their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign under way.
The world champions began confidently and deservedly went ahead when Antoine Griezmann superbly curled a left-foot effort into the corner from 18 yards.
However, Ukraine held firm in defence and levelled when Serhiy Sydorchuk’s deflected shot wrong-footed France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
In Wednesday’s other Group D fixture Finland drew with Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Norwich forward Teemu Pukki scored twice for the hosts with Miroslav Stevanovic and Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic scoring for the visitors.
It had looked like being a comfortable evening for Didier Deschamps’ France side when Griezmann’s expertly registered his 34th international goal.
But Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud was twice unable to convert good opportunities to score and Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman appeared to have a valid penalty claim when he was brought down by Ukraine goalkeeper Georgi Bushchan.
Those moments provided the visitors with the impetus to hit back, with Sydorchuk’s effort their first on target but only after a significant diversion off France defender Presnel Kimpembe.
While the hosts introduced Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial, the visitors merited their hard-fought point.
Line-ups
France
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lloris
- 2PavardBooked at 30mins
- 4Varane
- 3Kimpembe
- 21Hernández
- 13Kanté
- 14Rabiot
- 15ComanSubstituted forDembéléat 64′minutes
- 7Griezmann
- 10MbappéSubstituted forMartialat 77′minutes
- 9GiroudSubstituted forPogbaat 63′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Lenglet
- 6Pogba
- 8Lemar
- 11Dembélé
- 12Dubois
- 16Mandanda
- 17Sissoko
- 18Zouma
- 19Digne
- 20Martial
- 22Ben Yedder
- 23Maignan
Ukraine
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Bushchan
- 21Karavaev
- 3Zabarnyi
- 4Kryvtsov
- 22Matvienko
- 16Mykolenko
- 7ShaparenkoSubstituted forZubkovat 86′minutes
- 5SydorchukSubstituted forKovalenkoat 79′minutes
- 17Zinchenko
- 8Malinovskiy
- 9YaremchukSubstituted forJúnior Moraesat 73′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Sobol
- 6Syrota
- 10Konoplyanka
- 11Marlos
- 12Pyatov
- 13Konoplya
- 14Mykhaylichenko
- 15Zubkov
- 18Makarenko
- 19Júnior Moraes
- 20Kovalenko
- 23Trubin
Live Text
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Match ends, France 1, Ukraine 1.
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Second Half ends, France 1, Ukraine 1.
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Offside, France. Paul Pogba tries a through ball, but Antoine Griezmann is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Lucas Hernández (France) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right.
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Foul by Paul Pogba (France).
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Ruslan Malinovskiy (Ukraine) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by N’Golo Kanté (France).
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Júnior Moraes (Ukraine) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Presnel Kimpembe (France) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Antoine Griezmann with a cross.
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Corner, France. Conceded by Oleksandr Karavaev.
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Presnel Kimpembe (France) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Júnior Moraes (Ukraine).
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Attempt blocked. Ousmane Dembélé (France) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Anthony Martial.
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Attempt missed. Adrien Rabiot (France) header from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Antoine Griezmann with a cross following a corner.
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Substitution, Ukraine. Oleksandr Zubkov replaces Mykola Shaparenko.
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Corner, France. Conceded by Serhii Kryvtsov.
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Offside, France. Antoine Griezmann tries a through ball, but N’Golo Kanté is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Antoine Griezmann (France) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ousmane Dembélé.
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Corner, France. Conceded by Georgi Bushchan.
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Ousmane Dembélé (France) wins a free kick on the right wing.
