It wasn’t Kylian Mbappe‘s evening in Nur-Sultan on Sunday. Having to make do with a role off the bench for France, the Paris Saint-Germain forward missed a penalty against Kazakhstan.
Didier Deschamps opted against starting Mbappe for a second World Cup qualifier in a row, choosing the likes of Anthony Martial and Ousmane Dembele instead.
With France 2-0 up at the start of the second half and Martial suffering from injury, Mbappe made an appearance as a substitute.
His presence lifted a flat French performance and he immediately forced a good save from Kazakhstan goalkeeper Aleksandr Mokin.
With around 15 minutes to go, Mbappe was brought down in the penalty area. He stepped up to take the spot-kick himself but saw his low effort saved by Mokin.
It was a disappointing end to a difficult week for the PSG striker, who was substituted during France’s 1-1 draw with Ukraine on Wednesday, despite Les Bleus needing a winner.
Despite his form at club level and his breakthrough at the 2018 World Cup, Mbappe has found it tough to become the main man for his country.
Antoine Griezmann, who was left on the pitch against Ukraine, remains the talisman for Deschamps’ team.
