France 1 Belgium 0: French reach Euro 2024 quarter-final without scoring in open play after freak late goal
CAN that be the eureka moment France have been searching for?
Les Bleus had chopped and changed and still wasted a monumental amount of chances before one finally found a way in.
It was not attractive, deflecting off of Randal Kolo Muani’s standing leg before going in off of Jan Vertonghen. Own goals are having a fine tournament for France.
But at this stage, who cares?
It was enough to send France through and the last remaining vestiges of Belgium’s golden generation back over the border.
Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku could have done so much more here, but fell short once again.
France stumble on, scoring with their 19th effort of what had until then been another deeply frustrating afternoon.
The two-time champions are into the last eight without scoring a goal from open play.
But, true to Didier Deschamps mantra, they can reset once more, move on to the quarter-finals in Hamburg and go again.
Deschamps is often criticised for his conservative approach but when it comes to finding a fix for France’s troubles in front of goal he is hardly sticking with what he knows.
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The boss has become le bricoleur – the tinkerman – in Germany, with this being his fourth different forward line in four games.
Griezmann and striker Marcus Thuram were restored in Dusseldorf with Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola dropping out – though it was sub Kolo Muani who got them over the line.
Belgium’s Domenico Tedesco also mixed things up, pairing Lukaku and Lois Openda together up top for the first time in the tournament.
The first 25 minutes provided what hipsters would call an intriguing tactical battle. For the rest of us it was plain dull.
France flirted with moving forwards on a couple of occasions and Belgium appeared to have decided De Bruyne’s best role was as a holding midfielder.
But it was the Manchester City man’s free-kick which finally added some life to this tie.
His effort from wide almost caught out Mike Maignan, bouncing and forcing an awkward save from the keeper.
The Red Devils seemed to realise then that they too could try and create things – a fine move minutes later teeing up Yannick Carrasco, who saw his effort blocked by Theo Hernandez.
Jules Kounde was proving a threat for the French down the right and bent a delicious cross towards Thuram, whose header went narrowly wide.
The striker would have had a tap in from Hernandez’s cutback moments later too had Belgian keeper Koen Casteels not pounced on the cross just before it reached Thuram’s boot.
France were starting to take a firm grip, but still wasting their openings.
Aurelien Tchouameni flashed a shot wide from 30 yards before incredibly blasting over the bar inside the box when he should have hit the target at the very least.
It was another 45 minutes during which Deschamps will have been pleased with almost all aspects but the most important one – finishing.
The trend which has blighted them throughout their time in Germany continued after the break.
Real Madrid midfielder Tchouameni continued to cause problems – his deflected strike tipped wide by Casteels at full stretch before Thuram headed over from Kounde’s cross.
Belgium were still playing within themselves. Lukaku left to feed on scraps with De Bruyne trapped in his baffling deeper role. Imagine having one of the world’s greatest midfielders and opting to lump it over his head.
Some like to poke fun at Lukaku for his misfortune but it was hard not to feel sorry for him at times here, no one helping out by backing up his selfless work.
For all the French chances that were stacking up, Mbappe remained on the fringes.
But the masked man finally entered the fray – beating Carrasco before skipping inside De Bruyne only to send his strike narrowly over the bar.
Kounde then picked out his captain in the box, only for the No10 to mistime his strike well wide – another good chance spurned by Les Bleus.
Belgium decided now was the time to try and make France pay for their profligacy.
De Bruyne finally advanced up the pitch, stealing the ball from N’Golo Kante’s toes and opening his legs up before feeding a fine ball through for Carrasco who was only stopped by Hernandez’s last ditch challenge.
That opening prompted Tedesco to change things, push De Bruyne up behind Lukaku and see what they could muster.
France were still creating – Tchoumeni sent another high over the bar – but Belgium looked more dangerous – Lukaku getting space in the box and firing at Maignan.
You wondered at what point Deschamps might start simply laughing at the chances coming and going, as William Saliba found space after a set piece but also missed the target before Mbappe sent another high and wide.
It was feeling ripe for a sucker punch – and De Bruyne almost delivered it with a low drive, though Maignan managed to deny him.
Just two minutes later the breakthrough finally arrived.
Despite their wasted chances, France were still doing things properly, moving the ball well and not rushing and they were finally rewarded with a touch of luck as Vertonghen’s deflection leg sent the ball in and Les Bleus through.