France Advance to Euro 2024 Quaterfinals with a Late Own Goal Against Belgium
In a tightly contested Round of 16 match at the Euro 2024, France secured a nervy but deserved 1-0 victory over Belgium on Monday, thanks to a late own goal. The decisive moment came five minutes from time when substitute Randal Kolo Muani’s shot deflected off Jan Vertonghen, giving Les Bleusthe win and a spot in the quarterfinals.
France dominanted much of the game but struggled to convert their chances. The breakthrough came after a series of well-executed passes led to N’Golo Kante creating space for Kolo Muani, whose effort ricocheted off Vertonghen and into the net. Despite the scrappy nature of the goal, it was a fitting conclusion to a match that never fully ignited.
The victory sets ups quarterfinal clash for France against the winner of the match between Portugal and Slovenia in Hamburg on Friday. For, France, the journey so far has been marked by a lack of goals from open play. Their tally at Euro2024 includes two own goals and a Kylian Mbappe penalty, highlighting their offensive struggles despite their progress.
Manager Didier Deschamps, aiming to become the first person to win both the World Cup and the European Championship as a player and coach, understands the importance of advancing in tournaments regardless of the style of play. France’s passage to the knockout stage was unconvincing, with just two goals from their three group stage matches, similar to Belgium’s underwhelming performance.
The much anticipated clash between the world’s second ranked France and third ranked Belgium teams failed to live up to its billing. Both teams entered the knockout phase on the back of unimpressive final group stage draws, contributing to the lackluster display.
Belgium’s strategy seemed focused on slowing the game down, with Kevin De Bruyne often dropping deep to support the defense. The first half’s best chance fell to France in the 34th minute when Jules Kounde’s cross found Marcus Thuram, who headed wide and visibly expressed his frustration.
After the break, Aurelien Tchouameni forced a save from Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels, and Mbappe missed a promising opportunity as France began to find their rhythm. Belgium’s sporadic attacks included a promising run from Yannick Carrasco, halted by a brilliant Theo Hernandez tackle, and efforts from Romelu Lukaku and De Bruyne that tested French keeper Mike Maignan.
France’s profligacy continued with missed chances from William Salina and Mbappe, but Kolo Muani’s late intervention, albeit through an own goal, proved decisive. As France march on to the quarterfinals, they will need to sharpen their attacking edge to progress further in the tournament.
