France Beat Iceland 1-0 in 2020 Euro Qualifier Behind Olivier Giroud Penalty

Olivier Giroud's second-half penalty gave France a 1-0 win over Iceland in 2020 UEFA European Championship qualifying on Friday at Laugardalsvollur in Reykjavik, Iceland.

The reigning men's world champions enjoyed the better of the possession in the first half but only began to create chances as half-time approached.

Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson saved a Benjamin Pavard shot that took a heavy deflection off Antoine Griezmann, while Kingsley Coman fired an effort into the side netting.

France eventually broke the deadlock on 66 minutes. Griezmann was awarded a penalty after going down under minimal contact from Olafur Ingi Skulason, and Giroud stepped up to sweep home the spot-kick.

The visitors went close to doubling their advantage in the closing stages. Blaise Matuidi hit the post with a low shot, while substitute Wissam Ben Yedder was denied by Halldorsson after being sent clean through.

A late withdrawal because of injury disrupted France's preparations for the match, and Moussa Sissoko replaced Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante in the starting XI after the warm-up:

Get French Football News offered some detail on the problem:

Iceland also suffered injury woes early in the game. Burnley winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson was forced off with injury and replaced by Millwall's Jon Dadi Bodvarsson after only 16 minutes.

The visitors had the better of the first half and enjoyed plenty of possession. However, they lacked quality in attack, particularly at set pieces, and did not threaten until half-time approached.

Les Bleus had to wait until four minutes before the break to force Halldorsson into his first save of the match. Pavard drilled a low shot goalwards that took a big deflection off Griezmann, but the goalkeeper got down well to make the save.

Halldorsson then parried a Griezmann effort from a Lucas Digne pass and managed to collect the rebound ahead of the lurking Coman. The Bayern Munich winger followed that up with a low effort that flew into the side netting as the first half ended goalless.

France continue to toil at the start of the second half. Griezmann flashed a shot wide, while Gylfi Sigurdsson also put an effort narrowly past Steve Mandanda's post in a rare Iceland attack.

The visitors continued to press for a goal and won a penalty just after the hour when Griezmann went down theatrically after Skulason stuck out a leg in the penalty area.

The Guardian's Jonathan Fisher offered his view on Griezmann's fall:

Giroud stepped up to take the kick and sent Halldorsson the wrong way to finally put France into the lead.

The visitors ought to have doubled their advantage on 78 minutes. Coman burst past his defender down the left and pulled the ball back for Matuidi to strike a low shot past the goalkeeper and against the post.

Manager Didier Deschamps replaced goalscorer Giroud with Ben Yedder in the closing stages, and the Monaco forward was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet. He was denied by a great save from Halldorsson after being sent racing through by Griezmann and then saw a shot trickle wide from close range with the last kick of the game.

The win sees France move six points clear of Iceland and a step closer to qualification. Les Bleus remain in second place in Group H but are level on 18 points with leaders Turkey after seven games.

What's Next?

Both teams continue their qualifying campaigns on Monday in Group H. France host Turkey in Paris, while Iceland play Andorra in Reykjavik.