AUSTRIA
0
FRANCE
1
AUSTRIA (4-2-3-1) Pentz 6; Posch 6, Danso 5.5, Wober 4.5 (st 14′ Trauner), Mwene 6 (st 43′ Prass); Seiwald 6, Sabitzer 6.5; Laimer 6, Baumgartner 6, Grillitsch 6 (st 14′ Grimmer); Gregoritsch 6 (st 14′ Arnautovic). Coach: Rangnick 6.
FRANCE (4-3-3): Maignan 6.5; Koundè 6, Upamecano 6, Saliba 6, T. Hernandez 6; Rabiot 6.5 (st 36′ Camavinga), Kantè 6, Griezmann 6.5 (st 45′ Fofana); Thuram 5.5, Mbappé 7 (st 45′ Giroud), Dembelé 7 (st 36′ Kolo Muani). Coach: Deschamps 6.5.
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano 6.
Goals: 38′ pt Wober (own goal)
Note. Booked: Wober, Mwene, Dembelé, Mbappé
If that ball thrown by Mbappé had not ended up on the head of the unfortunate Wober we would probably be telling a different ending. Yes, because France prevailed 1-0 over Austria thanks to an own goal, in a sort of infinite chess match dotted with small errors (there is also a sensational free throw from Giroud). The action that breaks the balance comes from a gallop by Mbappé who goes away to the right, points at the opponent, enters the area and crosses backwards, Wober gets his head into it and unfortunately deflects it into his goal. There is an Austria that has a lot to complain about. Because the most concrete scoring opportunity of the first half arrives just before the own goal, it is in red and white sauce. Cross from the left, Sabitzer makes the pass for Baumgartner who shoots but doesn’t hit well, Maignan opposes by extending a leg in a split, but the referee incredibly doesn’t award the corner. For Gil Manzano the final touch belongs to the Leipzig attacking midfielder. We maneuver, we study, with an Austria with very tight ranks, who manage to overshadow even Thuram and Mbappé’s class. It was the Frenchman who emigrated to Los Blancos who missed a goal with a sensational mistake: only in front of the goalkeeper thrown into the net by Rabiot did he put it wide. The Ballon d’Or still remains goalless at the European Championships.
Rangnik tries to play the heavy loads: Arnutovic and Wimmer come up in attack to break the deadlock and add consistency in the attacking phase. And to think that the Austrians play the game, and for most of the match they seem not to suffer from the technical gap – as well as a decidedly lower cruising speed – with their opponents. Austria tries to stay in the game, but the result no longer changes. Not even with a 9 minute monster recovery. The reason is a blow taken by Mabappé in an aerial contact. A blow to the nose that leaves him dazed and bleeding on the ground. The captain appears to return and then collapses to the ground again, and is cautioned.
