France hosted Ukraine in the second-leg of their World Cup playoff this evening.
The visitors had claimed a 2-0 win in Kiev when they met the previous week and were looking to extend their run of clean sheets to nine games.
Goals from Mamadou Sakho and Karim Benzema drew the hosts level on aggregate, before an own-goal from Oleg Gusev booked France's ticket to the World Cup finals next summer.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Good evening and thank you for joining Sports Mole for live text commentary of the World Cup playoff between France and Ukraine at the Stade de France.
Following last week’s first leg, the hosts face an uphill battle to make the World Cup and will need to produce a performance of the highest quality tonight.
Last Friday, Ukraine managed a 2-0 win in Kiev thanks to goals from Roman Zozulya and Andriy Yarmolenko.
Their victory was the first time they had beaten France, having played them seven times previously without success.
Their victory was the first time they had beaten France, having played them seven times previously without success.
France’s task tonight is made even tougher by the fact that their opponents haven’t conceded a goal in their past eight games. The last time Ukraine’s defence was breached was during a 2-1 home win over Moldova in March, when Alexandru Suvorov bagged a late consolation for the visitors.
There are a number of different scenarios depending on the final score after 90 minutes, but the most important thing from a French point of view, is that they need two goals to level the tie no matter what.
Tonight’s game will go to extra time only if France are leading by two goals. If Ukraine manage to score at any point during the 90 minutes, then away goals will come into play.
Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud told reporters that his country will do everything they can to make it to the World Cup finals. "We are ready to die on the pitch to get there," he said. "Those are big words, but we want to show the people of France and ourselves that we are proud to be able to represent our country and our people.”
The away side have never qualified for the tournament via the play-offs before. They were beaten by Croatia, Germany and Greece in their attempts to seal a place in the 1998, 2002 and 2010 World Cup finals.
FRANCE XI: Lloris, Debuchy, Evra, Varane, Sakho, Cabaye, Valbuena, Pogba, Matuidi, Ribery, Benzema
Didier Deschamps has made a number of changes to the team that were beaten last week. Most notably Karim Benzema starts in place of Olivier Giroud. Samir Nasri and Loic Remy are replaced in the midfield by Mathieu Valbuena and Blaise Matuidi, while Raphael Varane comes in for the suspended Laurent Koscielny.
Ukraine have only made it to the World Cup once before. They took part in the 2006 tournament in Germany, where they lost to the eventual winners Italy in the quarter-finals.
France haven’t failed to qualify for a major tournament since 1994, when they were beaten by Bulgaria in the play-offs.
UKRAINE XI: Pyatov, Khacheridi, Yarmolenko, Zozulya, Konoplyanka, Shevchuk, Rotan, Bezus, Mandzyuk, Rakitskiy, Edmar
In France’s attempts to qualify for the last World Cup, there was a controversial outcome to the second leg. They won the first game of their play-off against the Republic of Ireland 1-0 away from home, but a Robbie Keane goal in Paris levelled the scores and took the tie to extra time. It was in those additional 30 minutes that Thierry Henry handled a long ball, before crossing for William Gallas to score the goal that gave the French a 2-1 win.
They will be hoping that tonight’s events don’t end in such distasteful circumstances, but at this stage they will be hoping for a goal by any means.
PREDICTION: Last week’s defeat made sure that the return leg would be an uphill task for the French against a team that have been hugely impressive defensively in their recent outings. The hosts have a number of quality attacking players in their line up and they will want to put things right tonight. I am going to go for a 3-0 win for the French, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the game goes all the way to extra time, with the chance of a penalty shootout a real possibility this evening.
REFEREE: The experienced Slovenian Damir Skomina is the man in the middle tonight. He has officiated at the European Championships and refereed the Super Cup final between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid last season.
We are just 10 minutes away from kick off and the crowd are in full voice in Paris.
There is a real show of support for the home side, with Red, Blue and White flags being waved by what looks like the entire stadium.
The French players are making their way into the tunnel, led by their captain tonight Lloris.
Ukraine are now entering the tunnel along with tonight's match officials. There are some nervous faces out there!
Both teams emerge onto the pitch and receive a deafening reception from the Stade de France crowd.
Time for the national anthems, with the away side up first.
The hosts anthem is playing now and the fans are giving it their all. Great passion and noise from France!
The anthems are over and we are closing in on kick off.
KICKOFF! Ukraine take the kick off and the game is underway at the Stade de France!
Positive start for France, who are pressing high in their opponents half. They try to play in Benzema but the defence is alert to the danger.
Ribery wins a corner after a fantastic run down the left, with the set piece eventually falling to Valbuena, who forces the keeper into a save.
The home side will have to be aware that the visitors carry a real threat going forward as Konoplyanka bursts down the left hand side before he is eventually stopped.
Great free kick by Valbuena from the left, but it goes straight through to the keeper. This has been a positive start by the home side, who are of course in desperate need of a goal.
YELLOW CARD! Rotan is booked for hacking down Ribery. It was a cynical challenge as he attempted to go clear down the left flank.
Good work by Pogba down the right hand side and he has won a corner.
CHANCE! What a great chance for Pogba! He heads over the corner after finding himself unmarked in the middle. Those are the sort of chances France need to take tonight.
CHANCE! Another headed chance for the hosts. Valbuena plays a fine delivery into the middle, and Benzema meets it but can't get his effort on target.
The only thing missing from the French so far has been a goal. They have started this game strongly, with Ukraine looking nervous in possession.
There has been some good passing and movement in the midfield by France, but their latest attack comes to an end when Valbuena fails to pick out Benzema.
Zozulya is down after a heavy challenge by Pogba. It looks like he's going to be okay to continue though.
Cabaye picks out Ribery with a stunning cross field ball, but as the winger tries to get into the box the defence make a last ditch challenge on him.
Ukraine are looking to pose a threat and after some great wing play from Konoplyanka, they have a corner.
The ball fails to clear the first man, but Rotan will have another chance to swing one in.
Zozulya wins the header, but it is deflected wide and they have a third successive corner. This time the French manage to get the ball clear.
The visitors are starting to see a lot more of the ball now and they work a number of passes between their attacking players inside the French half, before the defence stops them.
France have a free kick in a dangerous position on the right hand side and Valbuena will whip this one in.
GOAL! France 1-0 Ukraine (Sakho)
The French have scored the goal they craved! Valbeuna's ball in the middle was cleared to the edge of the area to Ribery. His shot was saved by the keeper, but the rebound fell to Sakho, who slotted in from a couple of yards out.
The home side have found another level and they win a corner thanks to some wonderful wing play from Ribery.
The ball is cleared by the defence to Benzema, but his delivery back into the middle is safely claimed by the keeper.
CHANCE! Pogba comes close again. This time he picks up the ball just outside the box before firing over Pyatov's crossbar.
As things stand, France are one goal away from drawing level with Ukraine on aggregate. With the way they are playing, you would not bet against them coming back from last week's defeat.
GOAL DISALLOWED! Controversial decision here as France have a goal disallowed! Ribery whips in a fantastic ball that the keeper and defence both miss and Benzema slots home. The replays show that he was clearly onside.
CHANCE! France come close again through Valbuena, who sees his fierce effort on goal saved by Pyatov. That strike looked like it was heading into the top corner but the keeper somehow clawed it out.
GOAL! France 2-0 Ukraine (Benzema)
France are level and this time Benzema does get his goal! The ball broke to the striker who was unmarked in the middle and he slotted it home past the keeper. It looked like he was offside but the French won't care one bit!
Ukraine will feel hard done by after the referee let that goal stand but France will be quick to point out that they had their own effort ruled out moments before that should have been given.
The visitors look shell-shocked and are giving the ball straight back to the French whenever they win possession.
Valbeuna shows some fantastic touches down the right hand side but loses his footing before he is able to get the ball into the middle. He has looked superb at times this evening.
Ribery threatens down the left, but he is stopped before he is able to get his delivery into the middle.
The fouls are starting to pile up now, with Ukraine trying to stop the hosts anyway they can. This time they give away a free kick just inside their half and Valbuena will have a chance to put the ball into the box.
YELLOW CARD! Khacheridi and Sakho are booked for arguing with each other before the free kick. The set piece is finally taken, but it is easily headed clear by the defence and comes to nothing.
We are going to have one minute of added time at the end of the half.
Ukraine mangage to get the ball into the box and Debuchy takes no chances, heading the ball out for a corner with Konoplyanka lurking behind him.
CHANCE! The corner falls to Yarmolenko, whose shot beats Lloris, but is blocked on the line by Debuchy.
HALF-TIME: France 2-0 Ukraine
At the end of the first 45 minutes, the home side are 2-0 up and have levelled the scores on aggregate. It was a wonderful first half for them with their positive attacking display a joy to watch.
Ukraine have not looked like the side that won in Kiev last week and their fine run of clean sheets has come to an end at the worst possible time. Mykhaylo Fomenko has a tough team talk ahead in order to prevent his side collapsing completely.
Whatever the eventual outcome this evening, there is going to be a lot of talk from both teams about Benzema's goal that was given and the strike that he had ruled out. In both occassions the referee got it wrong and perhaps that is why the second goal was given.
It will be interesting to see how the home side approach the second half. They are level, but of course the away goal rule could come into play should the visitors score.
The players are coming back out onto the pitch, with the home side kicking off the second half.
Benzema and Valbuena take the kick off and the second half is underway.
RED CARD! Khacheridi is sent off for hacking down Ribery. Ukraine will have to play the entire second half with 10 men!
It was a wild lunge from the defender and he deserved to go for that. Luckily Ribery is able to continue.
CHANCE! Ukraine aren't out of this yet! The ball breaks to Bezus on the edge of the box and he lashes a half volley just wide of Lloris's goal.
CHANCE! Matuidi bursts into the box to latch onto Valbuena's pass, but he can only poke his shot wide of the goal. There is plenty of space opening up now, which the French are looking to exploit at every opportunity.
France win a corner after the defence are forced to deal with Evra's long ball into the box. Valbuena will take this one from the right.
The ball into the middle is cleared to Cabaye on the edge of the box. The midfielder attempts to curl a strike into the corner but the effort is off target and goes harmlessly wide.
CHANCE! Huge chance for Benzema here! He received the ball inside the box in acres of space, but could only blaze his shot over with just the keeper to beat.
Ukraine are giving away a lot of fouls and can't contain the movement of the French midfield. It is proving to be a long half for the visitors and they are seeing very little of the possession.
Benzema is picked out by a long pass from Pogba, but as he tries to get away from the defence he is flagged offside. This time the officials got the decision correct.
The visitors are hanging on by a thread! Ribery weaves his way into the middle and picks out Matuidi, who stumbles as he attempts to get the ball under control. Moments later Ribery picks the ball up just outside the box and fires it over the bar.
SUBSTITUTION: Ukraine make a change with Gusev replacing Bezus.
CHANCE! Debuchy attempts to score a spectacular volleyed effort, but his strike from outside the box goes wide of the post.
YELLOW CARD! Evra picks up a booking for a foul on Yarmolenko.
YELLOW CARD! France pick up another booking, with Debuchy seeing a yellow for a sliding challenge from behind.
Ukraine have won a free kick in a very promising position on the left hand side and Konoplyanka will take it.
CHANCE! The free kick was headed clear by France, but came out to Rakitskiy who saw his low strike deflect into the hands of the keeper.
CHANCE! Cabaye tries his luck with a low effort from 30 yards out, but the keeper is equal to his strike and palms it wide.
GOAL! France 3-0 Ukraine (Gusev own goal)
France have taken the lead in the tie! The ball was whipped into the middle and it looks like Gusev has deflected it into his net under pressure from Sakho. France won't care who scored it, the only thing that matters is that they are 3-2 ahead on aggregate.
SUBSTITUTION: Ukraine make their second change of the night with Seleznyov coming on for Zozulya.
SUBSTITUTION: The French make their own change with Debuchy heading off and Sagna replacing him.
The French are keeping possession well, with Ukraine unable to get a foot in. As things stand, they are just 10 minutes away from the World Cup finals.
CHANCE! Benzema picks out Ribery inside the box, but after turning away from two defenders, he smashes his strike over the bar. That really should have been goal number four for the home side!
SUBSTITUTION: Giroud is coming on for the scorer of the second goal Benzema.
Ukraine have won a corner, after a long free kick into the box is headed clear. They take it short but are unable to beat the first man after a disappointing delivery.
CHANCE! Some wonderful passing from France leads to them winning a free kick just outside the area. Valbuena whips it in and Giroud wins the header, but he is denied by a fantastic save by the keeper.
France have given away a needless free kick outside of their area after a handball from Valbuena. Everyone is forward for Ukraine.
Again it's another poor delivery, and Lloris is able to claim the ball under no pressure. The visitors haven't made the most of the limited chances that have come their way this game.
YELLOW CARD! Mandziuk picks up a booking for a foul on Valbuena.
Valbuena attempts an effort from long range that takes a deflection before heading wide. They will attempt to keep the ball in the corner here as long as they can.
We are going to have three minutes of added time.
FULL-TIME: France 3-0 Ukraine
France have recovered from last week's 2-0 defeat in Kiev to record a remarkable comeback tonight! They have been dominant from the start and achieved a result that many thought they were incapable of!
The fans in Paris will be celebrating long into the night, as their country is heading to the World Cup finals in Brazil next summer! Ukraine's fine recent form came to an end at the worst possible moment and they will no doubt point to refereeing decisions that went against them tonight.
That's all we've got time for after a remarkable night in Paris. Please stay with us here at Sports Mole for the rest of tonight's results and reaction, but from me, it's goodbye!
