Kante forced out of France team at last minute

N’Golo Kante was withdrawn from the France team to play Iceland because of injury prior to kick-off in Reykjavik.

The Chelsea midfielder had been named in the starting XI and was all set to play in the Euro 2020 qualifying match before reportedly suffering a muscle strain.

It meant Tottenham’s Moussa Sissoko came into Didier Deschamps’ line-up for the Group H fixture.

Deschamps had earlier surprised some observers by choosing Lucas Digne at left-back, when Lucas Hernandez had been tipped to recover from a knee problem to start.

Olivier Giroud was the focus point in attack, supported by Antoine Griezmann, with Kylian Mbappe on the injured list along with midfield playmaker Paul Pogba and Hugo Lloris, the goalkeeper and regular captain of Les Bleus.

Kante could also miss France’s qualifier against Turkey on Monday, and Chelsea boss Frank Lampard will hope the former Leicester man is fit for the Blues’ next Premier League clash, their home game against Newcastle on Saturday, October 19.

The 28-year-old has started just three of Chelsea’s opening eight league games after being troubled by an ankle injury in the early weeks of the season.

.@MoussaSissoko debutera finalement le match a la place de @nglkante. #ISLFRA #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/8AqJ4s422s

— Equipe de France  (@equipedefrance) October 11, 2019