PARIS; France striker Kylian Mbappe scored one goal and set up another as the hosts came from behind to claim a fortunate 2-1 win against Iceland, maintaining their perfect start in World Cup qualifying Group D.

The result left Didier Deschamps’s side top of the standings with six points from two games, three clear of Iceland. Ukraine and Azerbaijan have one point each after drawing 1-1 earlier on Tuesday.

Iceland’s Andri Lucas Gudjohnsen thought he had grabbed a dramatic equaliser two minutes from time when he bundled the ball over the line, but VAR cancelled out the goal after replays showed he had pulled Ibrahima Konate’s shirt.

Gudjohnsen had earlier punished a Michael Olise mistake to put Iceland ahead only for Mbappe to equalise with a penalty to level the score at the break, before laying on Bradley Barcola’s winner just past the hour mark.

France played the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Aurelien Tchouameni was sent off for a reckless challenge, but they held firm to extend a 32-year run in which only Spain have beaten them at home in a World Cup qualifier.

Missing Paris St Germain forwards Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue through injury, France fell behind in the 17th minute when Olise’s back pass was intercepted by Gudjohnsen, who poked the ball past Mike Maignan.

The hosts responded as Marcus Thuram and Manu Kone forced a superb double save from Elias Rafn Olafsson and Barcola volleyed narrowly over, before Thuram was tripped in the area and Mbappe buried the resulting penalty on the stroke of halftime.

After the break, Olise rattled the crossbar before Mbappe led a swift counterattack and squared for Barcola to tap home in the 62nd minute.

Mbappe almost added a third but was denied by Olafsson, and although Gudjohnsen thought he had struck again at the death, the VAR review ensured France emerged with maximum points.

Portugal win again

Portugal earned a 3-2 victory at Hungary in their World Cup qualifier with Joao Cancelo scoring a late winner, two minutes after the hosts had equalised, to put them in control at the top of Group F with two away wins from two.

The visitors had come from behind to lead thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty but almost let the three points slip when conceding late on before Cancelo’s goal rescued the win to add to their 5-0 success in Armenia on Saturday.

Hungary took the lead in the 21st minute when Barnabas Varga met Zsolt Nagy’s inch-perfect cross into the box with a header which went in off the upright, before Portugal drew level 15 minutes later through Bernardo Silva’s close-range effort.

Portugal went in front after Varga handballed a Ronaldo flick-on in the area, and the 40-year-old buried his spot kick into the bottom corner.

Hungary, who drew 2-2 away to Ireland on Saturday, looked to have done the same in Budapest when Varga headed his second of the night six minutes from time but the hosts were unable to hold on.

Two minutes later, Cancelo struck a first-time shot from outside the area after a Bernardo Silva pass to leave Portugal top of the group standings on six points.

Armenia, who beat Ireland 2-1 earlier on Tuesday, are second with three points, with Hungary and Ireland on one point.

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