Olivier Giroud is now only seven goals behind France’s all-time leading scorer Thierry Henry
Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud moved closer to Thierry Henry’s goal-scoring record as France survived a late rally to relegate Sweden.
Giroud netted in each half to move to 44 goals, seven behind the Arsenal legend’s mark.
A deflected Viktor Claesson shot put Sweden ahead but Giroud’s double and a goal from full-back Benjamin Pavard turned things around.
Robin Quaison’s goal gave Sweden some hope but Kingsley Coman sealed the win.
Sweden will now drop into League B.
World champions France had already qualified for one of the four Nations League finals berths next year but went behind when Claesson’s long-range strike went in off Raphael Varane.
Giroud soon equalised, turning in a cross from Marcus Thuram, the son of 1998 World Cup-winner Lilian.
Thuram, who was making his first competitive start, then weaved into the area and found Bayern Munich right-back Pavard, who fired in.
Giroud added a third after the break from Kylian Mbappe’s cross, the Paris St-Germain striker getting an assist 70 seconds after coming on.
Quaison set up an exciting finale when he tapped in but as Sweden pushed everyone – including Everton goalkeeper Robin Olsen – up for a set-piece deep into stoppage-time, France were able to clear and leave Coman to score into an empty net.
Line-ups
France
- 1Lloris
- 2Pavard
- 4Varane
Substituted forZoumaat 45’minutes - 3Kimpembe
- 21Hernández
Substituted forDigneat 45’minutes - 17Sissoko
- 6Pogba
- 14Rabiot
Substituted forNzonziat 78’minutes - 22Thuram
Substituted forMbappéat 58’minutes - 7Griezmann
- 9Giroud
Substituted forComanat 84’minutes
Substitutes
- 5Lenglet
- 8Aguilar
- 10Mbappé
- 11Coman
- 13Zouma
- 15Nzonzi
- 16Mandanda
- 18Martial
- 19Digne
- 20Dubois
- 23Maignan
Sweden
- 1Olsen
- 2Lustig
Substituted forKrafthat 66’minutes - 3Lindelöf
Substituted forHelanderat 66’minutes - 4Danielson
- 5Bengtsson
- 17Claesson
Substituted forQuaisonat 66’minutes - 20OlssonBooked at 28mins
- 7LarssonBooked at 90mins
Substituted forCajusteat 87’minutes - 10Forsberg
- 9Berg
Substituted forIsakat 86’minutes - 15Kulusevski
Substitutes
- 6Olsson
- 8Larsson
- 11Isak
- 12Johnsson
- 13Svensson
- 14Helander
- 16Krafth
- 18Cajuste
- 19Svanberg
- 21Sema
- 22Quaison
- 23Nordfeldt
Match Stats
Live Text
- Sebastian Larsson (Sweden) is shown the yellow card.
- Match ends, France 4, Sweden 2.
- Second Half ends, France 4, Sweden 2.
- Goal! France 4, Sweden 2. Kingsley Coman (France) right footed shot from outside the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lucas Digne following a fast break.
- Foul by Kingsley Coman (France).
- Jens Cajuste (Sweden) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- Benjamin Pavard (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- Foul by Emil Forsberg (Sweden).
- Steven Nzonzi (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- Foul by Filip Helander (Sweden).
- Offside, France. Hugo Lloris tries a through ball, but Kylian Mbappé is caught offside.
- Goal! France 3, Sweden 2. Robin Quaison (Sweden) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Pierre Bengtsson.
- Attempt missed. Robin Quaison (Sweden) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Emil Forsberg with a cross.
- Substitution, Sweden. Jens Cajuste replaces Sebastian Larsson.
- Attempt missed. Paul Pogba (France) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Antoine Griezmann with a cross following a corner.
- Corner, France. Conceded by Sebastian Larsson.
- Substitution, Sweden. Alexander Isak replaces Marcus Berg.
- Substitution, France. Kingsley Coman replaces Olivier Giroud.
- Foul by Lucas Digne (France).
- Dejan Kulusevski (Sweden) wins a free kick on the right wing.