Olise hat-trick lifts France past Northern Ireland 3-1 in final World Cup warm-up
Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise scored all three goals as France beat Northern Ireland 3-1 in Lille on Monday, restoring confidence a week before their World Cup opener against Senegal.
Olise runs the show
France delivered a commanding performance in their last friendly before the World Cup, defeating Northern Ireland 3-1 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, near Lille. Michael Olise was the undisputed star, netting a hat-trick that showcased opportunism and flair. The Bayern Munich winger opened the scoring in the 43rd minute, doubled the lead shortly after the break in the 49th, and capped his evening with a curling strike into the top corner in the 75th minute. Northern Ireland, ranked 70th in the FIFA standings and not qualified for the tournament, pulled one back through Patrick Kelly in the 64th minute, briefly making it 2-1 before Olise's third goal restored the two-goal cushion.
L'ailier du Bayern a ensuite envoyé une magnifique frappe enroulée en lucarne.
Deschamps fields his likely starters
Didier Deschamps used the match to deploy what is expected to be his starting eleven for the World Cup opener against Senegal on 16 June in New York. The lineup included Champions League finalists Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé (both Paris Saint-Germain) and William Saliba (Arsenal), all of whom featured in the late-May final. The French side dominated possession from the outset against modest opposition and created numerous chances, with Olise converting the most important ones. The match was refereed by Germany's Sascha Stegemann.
Deschamps hatte dabei allerdings noch weitgehend auf Spieler von Paris St. Germain verzichtet, die zuvor das Finale in der Königsklasse gegen Arsenal für sich entschieden hatten.
Bouncing back from the Ivory Coast loss
Monday's victory served as a strong response to the 2-1 defeat against Ivory Coast in Nantes four days earlier, a match in which Deschamps had largely rested his PSG contingent. That loss had raised questions about France's readiness, but the comprehensive display against Northern Ireland, albeit against a weaker side, has restored a sense of calm. The team also debuted a new mint-green kit, described by Franceinfo as a tribute to the Statue of Liberty, ahead of their departure for the United States.
World Cup context
The World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, begins on 11 June and runs through 19 July. France, two-time world champions and among the favourites, will play their group-stage matches in Group I against Senegal, Iraq and Norway. Their opening fixture is scheduled for Tuesday 16 June in New York. Northern Ireland, who did not qualify, used the friendly as preparation for their own upcoming fixtures.
- Michael Olise opens the scoring for France (1-0)
- Olise doubles the lead shortly after half-time (2-0)
- Patrick Kelly pulls one back for Northern Ireland (2-1)
- Olise completes his hat-trick with a curling strike (3-1)
Elsewhere in friendlies
The Netherlands also concluded their preparations with a 2-1 win over World Cup debutants Uzbekistan in New York. Cody Gakpo scored both Dutch goals from the penalty spot, the first in the 32nd minute and the second deep into stoppage time. Uzbekistan equalised through Igor Sergeev in the 92nd minute after Guus Til was sent off for the Netherlands in the 87th minute, but Gakpo's second penalty in the 98th minute secured the win.
