BAKU, Azerbaijan (Interstat) — France opened its World Cup qualifying campaign with a commanding 3-1 victory over Azerbaijan on Sunday, though the final scoreline was flattered by a bizarre, late own goal from the home side’s goalkeeper.

Playing before a crowd at the Tofiq Bəhramov adına Respublika stadionu, the heavily favored French side demonstrated its offensive firepower, overcoming an early shock to control the match and secure three points.

The home side, however, provided a stunning start against the run of play. With just four minutes on the clock, forward Renat Dadaşov found the net, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to give Azerbaijan an unexpected early lead. The assist on the opening goal was credited to defender Anton Krivotsyuk.

The advantage was short-lived. France, undeterred by the early deficit, began to assert its dominance and found the equalizer in the 17th minute. The goal came from substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta, who leveled the score with a well-taken finish.

France continued to press and was rewarded with the go-ahead goal just after the half-hour mark. Another substitute, Maghnes Akliouche, put his name on the scoresheet in the 30th minute, giving the visitors a lead they would not relinquish.

The first half saw its share of disciplinary action, as Azerbaijan’s Anton Krivotsyuk received a yellow card in the 39th minute for a challenge.

The match’s most remarkable moment arrived in the final minute of first-half stoppage time. Azerbaijan goalkeeper Şahruddin Məhəmmədəliyev became the unlikely scorer of the game’s final goal, though it was into his own net. The own goal solidified France’s commanding position heading into the break.

The second half saw fewer clear-cut chances as France managed its lead. Azerbaijan midfielder Abdula Xaybulaev was shown a yellow card in the 72nd minute for a foul.

The final 3-1 result was in line with pregame projections, though the path to it was unconventional. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of France 2, Azerbaijan 0, while its ELO system had given France a 96.80 percent probability to win. The actual match saw France exceed the projected goal tally, aided by the Azerbaijani own goal.

With the victory, France begins its World Cup qualifying season with a record of one win and no losses in the competition. Azerbaijan starts its campaign with a record of zero wins and one loss. The records for both teams across all competitions this season now mirror their qualifying fortunes.

The win reinforces France’s status as a global powerhouse, efficiently dispatching a determined but ultimately overmatched opponent on the road. For Azerbaijan, the match showed moments of promise with the early goal but also highlighted the defensive discipline required to compete at the highest level of international football.