Giroud puts injury-hit France on the brink of Euro 2020

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Olivier Giroud in action with Iceland's Kolbeinn Sigthorsson REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - Olivier Giroud's lack of club action proved no handicap as the Chelsea striker's penalty earned France a 1-0 away win against Iceland to put Les Bleus closer to next year's European Championship finals on Friday.

Giroud, who has only played 101 minutes in the Premier League this season, converted a second-half spot kick as injury-hit France stayed second in Group H behind Turkey who beat Albania 1-0 thanks to a last-gap Cenk Tosun goal.

France and Turkey, who meet at the Stade de France on Monday, have 18 points but the world champions are behind by virtue of their 2-0 loss in Konya in June.

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring their first goal with team mates REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Third-placed Iceland have 12 points, Albania nine, and Andorra are second to last on three points after beating Moldova 1-0 for their first-ever Euro qualifying points.

Andorra had lost all 56 of their previous Euro qualifiers but Marc Vales ended that streak by scoring with a header in the 63rd minute, after Moldova had seen Radu Ginsari sent off for picking up a second yellow card.

France were without the injured Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba and Hugo Lloris and there was more bad news when Ngolo Kante picked up a muscle injury during the warm-up, leaving his place in the starting 11 to Moussa Sissoko.

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Olivier Giroud heads at goal REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

"It was a very tough game but we ground through and Olivier's goal did the job," said forward Antoine Griezmann.

"We had several chances to add to our goal and it would have been nice because they are dangerous on set pieces," said coach Didier Deschamps.

"But it's a good victory ahead of Monday's clash."

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Moussa Sissoko in action with Iceland's Ragnar Sigurdsson REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Both teams struggled to create chances in a poor first half as Les Bleus failed to supply Griezmann, who had the best opportunity with a blocked shot on the turn three minutes from the break.

The game turned France's way when Griezmann was brought down in the area by Ari Skulason, with Giroud sending Hannes Halldorsson the wrong way from the spot to score in the 66th minute.

With 37 international goals, Giroud is now four goals shy of Michel Platini's tally of 41, with only Thierry Henry having scored more for France (51).

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Raphael Varane in action with Iceland's Gylfi Sigurdsson REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

France came close to doubling the tally when Blaise Matuidi's low shot hit the post but Deschamps's team remained under threat until the final whistle.

They could have ended the night alone on top of Group H but Turkey prevailed against Albania when Tosun found the back of the net in the final minute with a close-range effort.

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 Iceland's Kolbeinn Sigthorsson in action REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

(Writing by Julien Pretot; Editing by Clare Fallon)

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 Iceland's Hannes Halldorsson and team mates look dejected after the match REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 Iceland's Birkir Bjarnason in action with France's Olivier Giroud REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Moussa Sissoko in action with Iceland's Jon Bodvarsson REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Kingsley Coman Iceland's Ari Skulason REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 Iceland's Birkir Bjarnason in action with France's Antoine Griezmann REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Lucas Digne in action with Iceland's Arnor Traustason REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Wissam Ben Yedder shoots at goal REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Antoine Griezmann in action with Iceland's Ragnar Sigurdsson REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France's Olivier Giroud in action with Iceland's Ari Skulason REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 France fans before the match REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group H - Iceland v France - Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland - October 11, 2019 Iceland fans before the match REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes