NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Michael Olise completed his hat-trick with a brilliant curler as France beat Northern Ireland 3-1 in their final World Cup warm-up on Monday.
It was also the last match on French soil for coach Didier Deschamps, who is stepping down after the World Cup after 14 years at the helm of Les Bleus. He selected Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé in a scintillating attack alongside Olise and Désiré Doué.
Olise scored from close range in the 43rd minute after Dembélé’s shot was blocked, then grabbed his second of the night in the 49th, blasting in from near the penalty spot after Northern Ireland failed to clear a cross from the right.
Saving the best for last, the fleet-footed winger broke down the right wing and bent an unstoppable shot into the top left corner from 20 yards in the 75th.
Olise scored 22 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich this season and looks set to be a surefire World Cup starter for double champions France – runners-up to Argentina four years ago – against Senegal on June 16 in New Jersey.
After Olise’s second goal, France’s defense lay in wait in the northern city of Lille and Patrick Kelly tapped in a cross midway through the second half for Northern Ireland.
Mbappé failed to add to his 56 international goals and remained one behind France’s all-time top scorer Olivier Giroud.
