Belgium endured a frustrating match against North Macedonia, managing only a draw despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances. The Belgian side, led by midfielder Hans Vanaken, struggled to breach a resolute defense and found themselves thwarted by goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski, who made several crucial saves. Vanaken expressed his disappointment, stating, “We did everything we could to score but it was frustrating. If we had got a first goal, I’m sure we would have got a lot more.”
Despite the setback, Belgium remains in contention to win their group and secure a place in the upcoming tournament scheduled for June 2024 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. With a game in hand, they are still favorites to qualify.
In Paris, attention turned to Kylian Mbappe, who played a pivotal role in France’s 3-0 victory over Azerbaijan in Group D. The 26-year-old forward opened the scoring just before half-time and assisted Adrien Rabiot for the second goal. Substitute Florian Thauvin sealed the win with a third goal shortly after the break. This victory places France at the top of the group with nine points from three matches, putting them on the brink of qualification for next year’s World Cup. They will have the opportunity to secure their spot when they face Iceland on March 25, 2024.
France’s performance came despite missing several key players, including Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola, both sidelined due to injury. Nevertheless, Mbappe and Rabiot’s contributions ensured a comfortable win.
In another match, Switzerland continued their strong start in Group B, defeating Sweden 2-0. Captain Granit Xhaka converted a penalty after Alexander Bernhardsson fouled Djibril Sow in the box. Xhaka’s goal came in the 65th minute, and a late deflected effort from Swiss substitute Johan Manzabi compounded Sweden’s woes, who now sit at the bottom of the group with only one point. Switzerland leads the group with a perfect nine points from three games, while Kosovo and Slovenia follow with four and two points, respectively.
In Sinsheim, Germany’s Joshua Kimmich made headlines by scoring twice in a commanding 4-0 victory against Luxembourg. The match saw Luxembourg reduced to ten men in the first half after Dirk Carlson was sent off for handball, leading to a penalty that Kimmich converted. David Raum opened the scoring with a well-placed free kick in the 12th minute, while Serge Gnabry added the third goal shortly after the break. Kimmich’s second goal solidified Germany’s position at the top of Group A, with the team now holding a slight edge over Northern Ireland and Slovakia, all of whom have six points. Luxembourg remains at the bottom of the table without a point.
As the qualification campaign progresses, teams will be looking to solidify their standings ahead of the prestigious tournament next summer.
