After claiming victory over Belgium, France has ensured that they will be able to compete in the final eight of the Euro 2024.
In order to keep their opponents at bay, the Red Devils made a significant amount of sacrifices in their offensive play. Players such as Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku took on a significant amount of responsibility within their own half of the field.
France coached by Didier Deschamps maintained possession of the ball for the bulk of the match, but they were unable to identify a moment that would change the game early on. Koen Casteels was unable to convert a number of shots from outside the box.
Les Bleus were able to break the deadlock as the final whistle drew near. The goal was scored by Randal Kolo Muani, who had previously played for Tottenham Hotspur. The goal was deflected in by Jan Vertonghen, who had previously played for Tottenham Hotspur.
France is now only three victories away from achieving continental triumph in Germany, whereas Domenico Tedesco’s team will be eliminated from the competition at the first hurdle of the knockout stages.
After putting in a phenomenal defensive shift during the 85 minutes leading up to the game’s defining moment, Belgium will feel as though they have been treated unfairly due to the manner in which they have been eliminated from the competition.
Theo Hernandez entered the game from the left wing and moved across a Belgian backline that was retreating. He then found Jules Kounde on the right side of the field. Jules Kounde and N’Golo Kante ultimately worked the ball into the hands of Kolo Muani, who was a substitute.
The 25-year-old player did a good job of maneuvering about in the area and finding a yard of space for his shot. The ball bounced off Vertonghen’s leg and dipped over the diving Casteels to ensure that Deschamps’s blushes were spared.
Tedesco, who was eager to prevent France from having an excessive amount of space on the offensive, positioned his Belgium team with a midfield pivot consisting of Amadou Onana and De Bruyne. This duo rarely made their way into the other team’s half at any individual time in the game.
All of that changed when the playmaker for Manchester City was shifted into a more forward role during the second period. The five-time Premier League winner then played a fantastic ball through to Yannick Carrasco, which resulted in the goal.
However, left-back Hernandez made a fantastic recovery to make a last-gasp block, which prevented the winger from scoring and giving the Red Devils an improbable lead on the counterattack. The winger was about to score and appeared to be on his way to scoring.
In light of the fact that his France XI did not score from open play in any of the first three matches of this competition, Deschamps would have been relieved to see the number of opportunities that his team produced in Dusseldorf.
For France, Adrien Rabiot, Kylian Mbappe, and Aurelien Tchouameni were all responsible for hitting shots that were way over the goal line, when a little more composure may have resulted in a victory that was more comfortable for them.
Throughout the course of the match, France sent a barrage of shots into the stands rather than Casteels’s goal, registering sixteen shots that missed the target and only managing to score two shots on goal.
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