France secured a hard-fought victory over Belgium in the round of 16 of Euro 2024, thanks to an own-goal by Jan Vertonghen. The match, held in Dusseldorf, saw France struggle to break down a resolute Belgian defense, but a late twist of fate helped them to a 1-0 win.
The French team, led by Didier Deschamps, was the dominant side but found it difficult to penetrate Belgium's deep defensive setup. Belgium, coached by Domenico Tedesco, aimed to surprise France with an attacking formation but largely focused on defense. The first half was uneventful, with France unable to create significant chances and Belgium occasionally threatening through set-pieces.
The second half saw France increase the pressure, with Tchouameni and Kolo Muani coming close to scoring. Belgium had their moments, too, with Lukaku and De Bruyne testing French goalkeeper Mike Maignan. However, it was a moment of misfortune for Belgium that decided the match. In the 85th minute, a shot by Kolo Muani was deflected into the net by Vertonghen, sealing France's victory.
This win propels France into the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of the Portugal vs. Slovenia match. The French team, despite not being at their best, showed resilience and determination to keep their hopes of a European Championship title alive.
- France's journey to the round of 16 was not smooth, as they finished the group stage with only five points from a win over Austria and draws with Poland and the Netherlands. This led Deschamps to tweak his formation, opting for a more attacking setup with Marcus Thuram and Kylian Mbappe leading the line.
- Belgium, on the other hand, had a similarly underwhelming group stage, managing just one win, one draw, and one loss. Tedesco made tactical changes, including bringing in Yannick Carrasco and Luis Opanda to bolster the attack.
- Key moments in the match included a dangerous free kick by De Bruyne that was saved by Maignan and several yellow cards for France in the first half. The second half saw more action, with both teams creating chances but failing to find the back of the net until the decisive own-goal.
- The quarter-final matches are set to continue with Germany facing Spain, England up against Switzerland, and potential matchups including Portugal or Slovenia against France.
