A shot from benchwarmer Kolo Muani, called onto the field with a happy premonition by Deschamps at the end, opens the quarterfinals to France thanks to an unfortunate but decisive deflection from veteran Vertonghen. It is a sentence that condemns Belgium to yet another disappointment and that promotes the French to the quarterfinals, who will face the winner of Portugal-Slovenia. A narrow victory at the end of a nervous, unspectacular match that rewards the strongest squad, which however continues to fail to convince at the European Championships.
A sensible performance, with the midfield once again directed with authority by the inexhaustible Kante’, well supported by Tchouameni. Mbappé, conditioned by the protective mask, offers few emotions also because the Belgian spiderweb contains him. Griezmann has some intermittent ideas, Rabiot sacrifices himself in coverage. Theo Hernandez, who has little confidence in his two central defenders, reduces his offensive gusts also to leave no space for the dribbler Doku, one of the last to give up.
In Belgium, it was the Manchester City player who caused France problems, but he was not helped by his teammates. Lukaku only managed to shoot well once, while De Bruyne dished out classy plays, but at an increasingly slow pace. Belgium’s great golden generation remembers with regret the greatest missed opportunity, and France was involved. In the 2018 World Cup semi-final, a goal by Umtiti in the semi-final frustrated the hopes of Lukaku and De Bruyne. But it was a curse that repeated itself, because this time Belgium went out in the end with their ninth own goal at the European Championships.
France, who are making the game, present Saliba, Griezmann as a finisher behind Mbappe’ and Thuram. Belgium responds with a falsely offensive lineup with Doku and De Bruyne giving a hand to the two strikers.
The first half hour is played like chess with fearful and tense teams, but it is France that pays for some inconsistent decisions by the Swedish referee Nyberg who in 25′ sanctions with yellow cards Tchouameni, Griezmann and Rabioty. Belgium becomes dangerous with a free kick by De Bruyne that Maignan sees late and deflects, then with a foray by Carrasco on which Theo Hernandez saves.
France gradually pushes harder, in the 34th minute a great pass from Tchouameni, Thuram heads it just wide. In the second half Mbappé shakes up, initially fearful, who sneaks in on the left and finishes just over. Many French shots are not centered, then Maignan excels in the 25th minute on the first shot from Lukaku. Saliba in the 29th minute sends it just wide, but it is Belgium who comes close to scoring in the 37th minute with De Bruyne on which Maignan saves with a great leap. But luck favors the bold French, who ‘uncork’ the game when the shadow of extra time looms, with a maneuvered action, with an illuminating pass to Kolo Muani whose conclusion is deflected into the goal by Vertonghen, deceiving the blameless one. Casteels. Deschamps without overdoing it earns the quarterfinals, Belgium once again accepts elimination leaving the way open to their dear French enemies.
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