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France signed off its World Cup qualifying campaign in style with a comfortable victory over Azerbaijan - although the French media hasn’t been too generous with its ratings for the Liverpool duo in action.
Ibrahima Konate and Hugo Ekitike both started the 3-1 victory in Baku, and played the full 90 minutes - something Arne Slot might not be too happy about, given there was nothing riding on the game for either side.
Nevertheless, both players appeared to come through their latest test unscathed, with Konate even given the honor of captaining his country in the absence of the injured Kylian Mbappe.
Neither could get themselves on the scoresheet, with Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta among the scorers as Didier Deschamps’ side recovered from an early scare, having fallen behind inside the opening four minutes.
France had already secured its qualification ahead of kick-off, and it made sure to end its qualifying run on a winning note - not that the media back in France seemed all that impressed.
Footmercato was among those to offer up their player ratings, with both Konate and Ekitike scoring low.
Konate was awarded a 5/10, with his summary reading: “While he explained that he didn't really understand his demotion but that he would work to regain his starting place with Les Bleus, the Liverpool defender was quite solid.
“Effective in distribution and showing flair with the ball at his feet, he dominated in duels and held his own in aerial duels. A performance worth highlighting against a relatively weak opponent.”
Even more harshly, Ekitike was only awarded a 4/10, with the report stating: “After a successful start to the season with Liverpool and an exceptional performance as a substitute against Ukraine on Thursday, the former PSG player struggled more tonight.
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“In an unusual system with Mateta and Nkunku, the lanky striker didn't necessarily have the space to express himself. Rarely involved and often unavailable, he failed to stand out and missed some basic opportunities.
“A match to forget, but one that shouldn't overshadow his overall impressive display.”
Maxifoot wasn’t much more generous with its ratings, with the Liverpool duo only faring a little better.
Konate was awarded a 6.5, with his assessment saying: “Captain for the day, the Liverpool centre-back, initially under pressure, quickly restored order at the back. Better positioned, more adept at anticipating attacks, and solid in covering, he embodied the team's growing strength after the first half-hour.”
Ekitike, meanwhile, was handed a 5.5, with his summary reading: “The Liverpool striker showed desire, made runs, and contributed to the play, but remained too imprecise in the final pass or shot. He had some good moments but lacked efficiency and finishing touch. A decent performance, but not entirely convincing.”
Both Konate and Ekitike will now make their way back to Merseyside, with fans hoping that the former’s contract situation can be resolved quickly now as we reach the end of 2025.
Assuming neither player picked up any knocks in Azerbaijan, they’ll be looking to return to action with Liverpool on Saturday when the Reds host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
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