PARIS: Kylian Mbappe and Ibrahima Konate have been ruled out of Monday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier in Iceland where France could book their ticket to next year’s tournament.
Already suffering from a “small niggle” in his right ankle from playing for Real Madrid, Mbappe took two knocks during Friday’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Azerbaijan in Paris, where he opened the scoring but was substituted before the end of the match.
Liverpool defender Konate remained on the bench with a right thigh problem with his place against Iceland now taken by Marseille’s Benjamin Pavard.
Mbappe’s absence adds to the long list of forward unavailable for October’s World Cup qualifiers, which includes Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Marcus Thuram and Bradley Barcola.
After returning to the Clairefontaine training ground on Friday night, “the French team captain spoke with (coach) Didier Deschamps who acknowledged his absence,” the French federation (FFF) said in a statement.
Mbappe “has been released to his club (Real Madrid) and will not be replaced,” the FFF added, confirming hours later that Konate “has returned to his club’s availability.”
Konate had joined the team with a slight injury and “underwent treatment and a specific protocol but will not be able to play Monday in Reykjavik,” the FFF said.
Mbappe scored on the stroke of half-time against Azerbaijan and was then struck by a tackle from Rustam Ahmedzade. He took another knock to the same ankle late in the game, and was replaced by Florian Thauvin.
“He has a sore ankle and he took a knock there. He preferred to come off; the pain was quite significant,” Deschamps said after the French victory.
Adrien Rabiot and the substitute Thauvin were also on the scoresheet as Deschamps’s team remain unbeaten after three games and top of Group D.
Les Bleus will book their passage to the United States, Canada and Mexico next year if they win in Iceland on Monday and Ukraine fail to beat Azerbaijan.
Mbappe and Konate out of France’s World Cup qualifier in Iceland
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Mbappe and Konate out of France’s World Cup qualifier in Iceland
- Mbappe took two knocks during Friday’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Azerbaijan
- Liverpool defender Konate remained on the bench with a right thigh problem
UAE dethrone Algeria as Jordan edge Iraq to reach Arab Cup semi-finals
- Jordan repeat Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with a 1-0 victory, Ali Olwan scoring from the spot for the 4th time in 4 consecutive matches
- UAE end Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a 7-6 penalty-shootout win after the game ends 1-1
DOHA: The UAE and Jordan booked their places in the Arab Cup semi-finals on a dramatic day of quarter-final action in which the defending champions were eliminated and a regional rivalry was renewed.
Jordan repeated their Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with another narrow victory, as Ali Olwan extended his remarkable streak of scoring from the spot to four consecutive matches.
His first-half penalty was the only goal in a cagey encounter with few clear-cut chances for either side. Jordan dominated early on but were dealt a blow when star forward Yazan Al-Naimat was forced off with a knee injury.
Iraq improved after the break, with the talismanic Ali Jasim injecting a sense of urgency and twice drawing smart saves from Yazeed Abulaila, first with a fierce long-range strike and then a driven effort moments later.
Jordan nearly sealed the victory with a second goal late on when Mohannad Abu Taha, who scored with a spectacular long-range strike earlier in the tournament, hammered another powerful attempt just wide.
Nevertheless, the Jordanians held firm to set up a semi-final clash with Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The second quarter-final delivered even more drama, as the UAE ended Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a sudden-death, penalty-shootout win.
Algeria dominated the opening half and twice found the net, only for both goals to be ruled out. They finally made their pressure count just 50 seconds after the restart, when Adil Boulbina fired home after Yacine Brahimi’s strike was parried into his path.
The UAE had struggled to gain a foothold in the game but hit back through Bruno, who converted a pinpoint, inswinging cross from Yahya Al-Ghassani midway through the second half.
As Algeria pressed for a winner they were nearly punished at the end of regulation time when Lucas Pimenta’s fine header forced a sharp save from Farid Chaal.
Extra time offered chances for Brahimi and substitute Zakaria Draoui to put Algeria ahead again, but the breakthrough never came.
And so to the shootout, in which the UAE goalkeeper, Hamad Almeqbaali, denied Mohammed Khacef before Richard Akonnor coolly dispatched the decisive kick to make it 7-6 on penalties and set up a semi-final clash with Morocco, also on Monday.
