A late own goal by Jan Vertonghen propelled France into the Euro 2024 quarter-finals at the expense of Belgium.
In a match that lacked excitement and quality for much of its duration, extra time seemed inevitable until a shot by substitute Randal Kolo Muani deflected off Vertonghen with five minutes left, clinching the victory at Dusseldorf Arena.
France had squandered several chances prior, with their inability to finish becoming apparent once again. Even captain Kylian Mbappe missed shots he would typically score.
Belgium nearly took the lead before France’s late goal when Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne surged through the middle, but his shot was saved by Mike Maignan.
This was the only significant opportunity for the below-par Belgians, as France held on in the final minutes to secure their spot in the last eight, where they will meet either Portugal or Slovenia.
Didier Deschamps’ team deserved the win, yet it will be more of a relief for the 2018 world champions, who once again struggled to convert their chances into goals.
They dominated possession for much of the match but managed only a single shot on target in the first half, with Antoine Griezmann’s low strike from distance easily saved.
Mbappe, one of the world’s top forwards, also found it challenging to capitalize on his chances, notably curling over in the second half after creating space for himself.
In the end, France recorded 19 shots but only two on target, and they are still waiting for their first open-play goal in Germany.
Similar to other top teams left in Euro 2024, France is struggling to perform at their best, but for now, they will celebrate being a step closer to the final.
Belgium faced boos from fans after their draw against Ukraine in the final group game, but supporters hoped for an improved performance against France.
However, Belgium remained overly cautious for long stretches, with their few threatening moments proving insufficient.
They could have punished France for their missed opportunities with De Bruyne’s late effort, while Romelu Lukaku, who exits Euro 2024 without a goal, also had a low shot saved in the second half.
For Belgium’s ‘golden generation,’ like Croatia, this tournament felt like a final chance, with key players like De Bruyne and Lukaku now in their 30s.
They leave the tournament pondering what might have been with this talented group.
