World Cup 2018: Kylian Mbappe fires France through to send brave Peru out

France 1-0 Peru: The 19-year-old became Les Bleus youngest-ever scorer in a major tournament to send the South Americans home

Didier Deschamps’ France are guaranteed a place in the knockout stages of the World Cup after this victory over Peru - courtesy of Kylian Mbappé’s simple tap-in midway through the first half - but that is all that seems certain about a team that, despite improving slightly, still flatters to deceive.

For the second successive game, France took all three points from a largely laboured display and the efforts of a tireless, adventurous Peru side were not rewarded. The South Americans’ third outing, against Australia in Sochi next week, will not be enough to save them. With this defeat, Ricardo Gareca’s side became the fourth team to be eliminated from this tournament.

Gareca can, however, be proud of his players’ efforts. Deschamps, meanwhile, ends the day with questions, still. After edging a evenly-contested first half, France completed the second without a single shot on target, and were reliant - perhaps over-reliant - on the excellent N’Golo Kanté to cut Peru’s advances short.

This was as ponderous and prosaic a performance as against the Australians last Saturday. Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann impressed in flashes, as Olivier Giroud’s presence offered them a central, strong focal point. Yet - Kanté aside - Deschamps’ players often struggled to exert their influence and still look some way off providing a true challenge.

This was a lively game, at times frantic, and no more so than in the opening exchanges when several early half-chances fell for France. The first of any real quality, however, was Peru’s and should have been converted by Paolo Guerrero - their all-time leading goalscorer, starting despite testing positive for cocaine last October and receiving a 14-month ban.

The 34-year-old, desperate to play at a World Cup finals, argued the substance was consumed accidentally while drinking a contaminated cup of tea. The suspension was eventually lifted, but only after his fellow Group C captains - including France’s Hugo Lloris - signed an open letter calling for leniency,

Here, Lloris’ kind gesture towards a fellow professional was rewarded. Another striker may have angled Edison Flores’ cross into the far corner of the net. Guerrero, however, drilled the ball low and straight at the ‘keeper’s legs. It was a slice of good karma for Lloris but a wake-up call for his team-mates.

Against slick and energetic opponents in need of a result, Les Bleus appeared to be taking too much for granted, succumbing to Deschamps’ usual dogmatic and disjointed play. Then, quite suddenly, came a moment of quick and fluid thinking that suggested these stifled talents could yet form a dynamic team.

It will go unnoticed by his critics, but the opening goal was of Paul Pogba’s making. It was the Manchester United midfielder’s strength and sense of anticipation that cut Peru’s latest attempt to play out of the back short and slipped in Giroud. Guerrero, moments after his miss, was the one robbed of possession.

Mbappe scored the only goal of the game (Getty Images)

Giroud shot first time and a deflection off Alberto Rodriguez carried the ball over goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, yet it still needed a little help, just to make sure. Mbappé, not yet born when France won the World Cup as hosts in 1998, only had to tap into an empty net to become his country’s youngest-ever scorer at an international tournament.

The 19-year-old will score more World Cup goals. Few will be so simple. France, suddenly more confident, would have added a second before the interval if either Griezmann or Lucas Hernandez had connected with their respective attempts. They were instead forced to settle for a single-goal lead at the break.

Five minutes into the second half, Pedro Aquino came within inches of restoring parity. Though initially heading outside of Lloris’ right-hand post, his curving effort from range gradually bent goalwards, though eventually not quite bending enough. The corner of the goal frame where the post and the crossbar meet sent the ball rebounding wide.

France were flat but are through to the last 16 (EPA)

Peru’s support, the dominant party in Ekaterinburg’s Central Stadium, sensed a fightback and their players responded to the noise they created, pegging France back for long periods. Much like in Saturday’s defeat to Denmark though, their dominance of possession and eagerness to break forward did not translate into clear goal-scoring opportunities.

For all their effort, they were forced to wait until the 88th-minute to finally work Lloris. Even then, it was only a Guerrero free-kick that the Tottenham Hotspur ‘keeper was not troubled by. That final attempt was Peru’s 29th shot in their two games in Russia, yet their fate has been sealed with no goals and no points on the board.

All Gareca and his players can do now is give their fans a victory they deserve in Sochi. In doing so, they would end Australia's hopes of qualification and avoid Group C's wooden spoon. France, meanwhile, are primed to top the group - perhaps with maximum points. Maybe by then, they will finally look convincing.​