A Night of Two Halves in Villeneuve d’Ascq
Michael Olise delivered a stunning hat-trick as France swept past Northern Ireland 3-1 in their final World Cup warm-up fixture on Monday evening, but the scoreline tells only part of the story. While the Bayern Munich star produced moments of individual brilliance, Les Bleus head into their tournament opener against Senegal on June 16 with significant collective concerns.
The 24-year-old attacking midfielder scored twice in four minutes either side of half-time before adding a magnificent third, becoming the first French player since Michel Platini to score a hat-trick in a pre-tournament friendly without playing as a centre-forward. His performance was electric, but it could not fully mask the structural issues that plagued France throughout the first half.
Olise’s Masterclass
Olise opened the scoring in the 43rd minute after a sharp passing sequence involving Dayot Upamecano and Desir’ Dou’ broke the deadlock. He doubled the lead just four minutes into the second half with a stunning half-volley from a Malo Gusto cross.
The hat-trick was completed in the 75th minute with Olise’s trademark curler from the left flank into the far top corner, a finish that left the Northern Ireland goalkeeper rooted to his line. It was the kind of moment that reminds observers why Bayern invested heavily in his signature and why Didier Deschamps has made him a central figure in his tournament plans.
The match also featured Ousmane Dembele in an unfamiliar central role while Olise operated from the right, an experiment by Deschamps that yielded mixed results. The fluidity improved markedly in the second half as substitutions brought fresh energy, but the opening 45 minutes lacked intensity and creative spark.
Defensive Fragility
Perhaps the most worrying statistic for Deschamps is that France have now gone five consecutive matches without a clean sheet, a run unprecedented in nearly four years. Northern Ireland pulled a goal back through Patrick Kelly in the 64th minute after a lapse involving Rayan Cherki and Upamecano.
The backline, reshuffled with Upamecano switching to the right side of central defence despite playing on the left all season for Bayern, appeared disjointed at times. Slow ball circulation in the first half suggests Deschamps still has significant tactical decisions to make before the Senegal clash.
Mbappe’s Form and the Tournament Picture
Kylian Mbappe endured his second match without a goal for France, seeing one effort disallowed for offside and failing to convert from several promising positions. The captain, who had scored in seven consecutive appearances before this brief drought, will be expected to lead the line when the tournament proper begins.
Deschamps will take the squad to the United States on Tuesday with the comfort of knowing Olise is in scintillating form, but the head coach faces difficult questions about defensive organisation and his captain’s recent dip. France open their World Cup campaign against Senegal on June 16 at 21:00 local time in New York.
Source: L’Equipe, match report
