France finally defeated Belgium 1-0 and superior to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.
As the sport went into additional time, Randel Kolo Muani turned France’s hero when his Eighty fifth-minute shot beat defender Jan Vertonghen and Goalkeeper Koen Casteels sealed the victory.
France dominated possession for a lot of the sport and got here closest to breaking the impasse on the stroke of half-time via Marcus Thuram and Aurelien Tsouameni, earlier than Kylian Mbappe Additionally threatened with some dazzling footwork – however his ending was poor as France struggled to check Castiles.
Belgium may have gained the sport late on, with Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne each forcing good saves from goalkeeper Mike Maignan, however a sordid decisive second noticed France advance. stage one.
Didier Deschamps’ facet will face the winner of Monday evening’s conflict between Portugal and Slovenia in Hamburg on Friday within the quarter-finals (kick-off 8pm).
France rejoices, Belgium despairs…
France has now defeated Belgium in three consecutive video games.
Excluding penalty shootouts, Deschamps’ workforce has misplaced simply one among their previous 15 European Cup video games (eight wins and 6 attracts).
Can they repeat their success at Euro 1984 and 2000?
Neville: Vertonghen will endure devastating blow with massive mistake
Sky Sports activities’ Gary Neville spoke on ITV concerning the late French champion and Vertonghen’s involvement:
“I believe Jan Vertonghen will probably be very disillusioned [with the goal]and never simply because it was thought-about an personal aim on his half.
“He has to maneuver up. Kolo Muani did not do something wonderful. He was slightly sloppy on the flip.
“However he is received to maneuver up. As soon as you are a yard or two away, it isn’t unlucky, it is within the class of poor protection and he is aware of that, he is an skilled participant.
“I have been in conditions like this. I believe a mistake made by an skilled defender is a giant mistake. He’ll notice it. He will probably be shocked as a result of he will even assume, ‘This will probably be my final time.’ Do it? That is the place it actually hits residence for the gamers.
Deschamps: Benefit from the second
France coach Deschamps:
“It is lovely, we performed an vital sport, it was tight however we loved possession and we had extra probabilities. We’ve got to savor it, it is fairly an achievement. We’re 4 factors into it Within the finals, they’re going residence.
“We made lots of progress and our opponents had been clearly cautious though they had been an attacking workforce on paper. We tried our greatest to create probabilities and we created greater than them however we performed and waited. “I like that, however clearly you possibly can’t win simply by maintaining the ball.”
“I want we may have created extra probabilities, however we’re within the quarter-finals and that is all that issues. Let’s not downplay that second.”