France beat Germany 1-0 in their Euro 2020 opener at the Allianz Arena. Mats Hummels’ own goal was enough to give Didier Deschamps’ side all three points. The victory places France level on points with Portugal in Group F following the holders’ 3-0 victory over Hungary earlier on Monday. Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante starred for France, who also had two goals wrongly ruled out.
HOW FRANCE CONQUERED GERMANY
Germany, whose chief Low will be supplanted by Hansi Flick after the competition, begun the game on the front foot as they looked to exploit their home benefit yet it didn’t take long for France to move into the ascendency.
Indeed, they ought to have effectively been in front when the opener showed up, with Pogba heading Antoine Griezmann’s corner inefficiently over the bar from six yards out.
Minutes after the fact, Mbappe constrained a jumping save from Manuel Neuer having cut inside from France’s left flank, where he was facing Joshua Kimmich, who strolled a disciplinary tight rope throughout the evening having been reserved only seven minutes into the game.
France’s opener showed up only a couple minutes after those odds, with Pogba’s perfect corner to corner leave opening the hosts behind and permitting Hernandez to give the definitive cross.
Hummels had his head in his grasp as he watched his cut leeway go by Neuer yet Thomas Muller, reviewed by Low alongside the protector, gotten an opportunity to level very quickly as he flicked a Gosens cross a couple of yards wide.
The game didn’t really get light in the rest of the primary half, with the two sides blameworthy of messiness under lock and key, yet there was a decent opening for Ilkay Gundogan.
The midfielder, intense before objective for Manchester City last season, looked all around put to level when Gnabry guided a free ball into his way inside the France box yet he neglected to put forth an appropriate association and his attempt bobbed innocuously wide.
A significant part of the half-time investigation zeroed in on an episode including Antonio Rudiger and Pogba, with replays showing the Chelsea safeguard seeming to chomp the Manchester United midfielder on the shoulder.
The episode was missed by the authorities, maybe luckily for Germany, and the hosts were breathing another moan of help not long after half-time when Rabiot struck the outside of the post having chosen for shoot instead of set up the plain Griezmann.
It appeared to be the game was opening up whenever Gnabry’s chance from Gosens’ cross showed up only a few of minutes from that point forward, yet it before long turned out to be tight once more.
Germany, who came into the competition in helpless structure, attempted to make any further openings while France twice thought they had broadened their lead – just for VAR to deny them.
The electrifyingly speedy Mbappe was at the core of both of those prohibited objectives, first bowing a low exertion in off the post, then, at that point hooking onto a through ball and squaring for Benzema to wrap up.
The 22-year-old’s speed messed major up for Germany, who agreed with three at the back, and on a different event, he was just denied a one-on-one possibility by a frantic, last-ditch Hummels challenge.
Hummels more likely than not trusted that test, a little ways from time, would permit Germany to go on and loot an equalizer, however all things considered, they were left to ponder their first loss in an European Championship opening installation.
For France, nonetheless, it is actually the beginning they were expecting.
MAN OF THE MATCH – PAUL POGBA
Everyone was focused on Mbappe at the Allianz Arena, and the 22-year-old didn’t frustrate, yet it was Pogba who created the best individual execution.
The Manchester United midfielder was liable of squandering a decent opportunity to open the scoring from a Griezmann corner in the beginning phases, yet from that point on he dominated.
The feature of his showcase was the splendid, outside-of-the-foot pass to deliver Hernandez in the development to the triumphant objective, yet there was a likewise great one to set up Mbappe for the first of the two objectives France had precluded for offside in the subsequent half.
Pogba was France’s most powerful part under lock and key – no one had more contacts – and he additionally dazzled protectively close by Kante, making more ball recuperations than any other individual on the pitch.
- 90 minutes played
- 74 touches
- 40 passes completed
- 4 passes into the box
- 3/3 dribbles completed
- 4 fouls won
- 13 duel won
- 3 interceptions
- 2/2 tackles won
- 12 recoveries
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAID
France manager Didier Deschamps: “We played a great game against a very good opponent. I knew my players would be ready and we were up for the fight.
“WE WEREN’T FAR AWAY FROM SCORING THE SECOND GOAL THAT WOULD HAVE MADE US SAFE, BUT WE DIDN’T SUFFER THAT MUCH IN THE SECOND HALF. IT WAS A STRONG MATCH WITH QUALITY AND TALENT.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
France’s remaining Group F fixtures…
- Saturday, June 19: Hungary vs France; Kick-off 2 pm (Budapest)
- Wednesday, June 23: Portugal vs France; Kick-off 8 pm (Budapest)
Germany’s remaining group F games…
- Saturday, June 19: Portugal vs Germany; Kick-off 5 pm (Munich)
- Wednesday, June 23: Germany vs Hungary; Kick-off 8 pm (Munich)
France plays again on Saturday when they travel to Budapest to face Hungary in Group F; kick-off at 2 pm. Meanwhile, Germany takes on Portugal, also on Saturday in Munich; kick-off 5 pm.
Comments are closed.