France made a winning start to their Group D campaign but were made to work hard for it by resilient Austria in Düsseldorf.
Kylian Mbappe set up the only goal when he produced a devastating turn of pace before his cross from the byline was glanced into his own net by defender Max Wober seven minutes before the break.
Cristoph Baumgartner was superbly denied by France keeper Mike Maignan while Mbappe fired wide when clean through as his wait for a first European Championship goal goes on.
The France skipper left the field early after a nasty clash of heads left him nursing a broken nose but France held on to join the Netherlands on three points in the group.
🅰️ Mbappé #EURO2024 | #AUTFRA pic.twitter.com/8InCOBjsEu
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 17, 2024
Ralf Rangnick’s Austria had lost just one of their last 16 matches and made life hard for Didier Deschamps’ side with a performance full of energy and determination.
The 2018 World Champions began brightly and within minutes Mbappe burst down the left flank before firing in a low shot which keeper Patrick Pentz turned around the base of his near post and into the side netting.
Marcus Thuram slotted Theo Hernandez through on the left of the area on 13 minutes but his low cross-shot fizzed past the far upright without a touch.
Wober went into the book for lunging on the marauding Ousmane Dembele on the right flank soon after and then gave the ball away allowing Antoine Griezmann to drive forward before recovering to deflect his shot behind.
Austria grew into the game and pinched possession in the France half leading to Konrad Laimer’s first-time effort from an angle being gathered at his near post by Maignan before Phillipp Mweme was booked for another lunge on Dembele on 33 minutes.
Maignan to the rescue
Baumgartner came closest to breaking the deadlock after Florian Grillitsch’s curling cross from the left was knocked down by Marcel Sabitzer leaving Baumgarter with only Maignan to beat,…
Source link : https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/euro-2024-france-1-0-austria-eventful-night-for-mbappe-as-les-bleus-make-winning-start/
Author : Alex Hoad
Publish date : 2024-06-17 20:58:40
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