After reigning in the press room, Kilyan Mbappé had to govern France on the grass of the Arena Stadion in Dusseldorf. With all the focus on his status as the tournament’s great star, he made the difference in a tough match, with a lot of tactical problems. He left flashes, including the bicycle in the area and the back pass that caused Wöber’s own goal. The only one of the game for a victory that did not satisfy either the fans’ eyes or the expectations created. More was expected from the French star and the team identified as a great candidate for the title. France ended up entrenched in their area, overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the Austrians and a few corner kicks and crosses into the area. And with Mbappé injured with a strong blow to the nose that forced him to leave the field of play.
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Patrick Pentz, Phillipp Mwene, Stefan Posch, Kevin Danso, Max Wöber, Nicolas Seiwald, Konrad Laimer, Florian Grillitsch, Christoph Baumgartner, Marcel Sabitzer, Michael Gregoritsch, Gernot Trauner (Max Wöber, min. 58), Marko Arnautovic (Michael Gregoritsch, min. 58), Patrick Wimmer (Florian Grillitsch, min. 59), Alexander Prass (Phillipp Mwene, min. 87) and Romano Schmid (Konrad Laimer, min. 90)
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Mike Maignan, Théo Hernández, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Jules Koundé, Adrien Rabiot, N’Golo Kanté, Ousmane Dembélé, Marcus Thuram, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappé, Eduardo Camavinga (Adrien Rabiot, min. 70), Randal Kolo Muani ( Ousmane Dembélé, min. 70), Olivier Giroud (Kylian Mbappé, min. 89) and Youssouf Fofana (Antoine Griezmann, min. 90)
Goals
0-1 min. 37: Wöber
Referee Jesus Gil Manzano
Wöber (min. 15), Philipp Mwene (min. 33), Ousmane Dembélé (min. 55), Christoph Baumgartner (min. 79), Laimer (min. 83), Kylian Mbappe (min. 89), Kevin Danso (min. 92)
Didier Deschams’ France has never been very pretty to watch despite the stellar list of players with which it is presented as an undisputed candidate for the Euro Cups or World Cups. Less if the rival does not give him space to gallop Mbappé or any of his wingers, whether it be Dembélé or Marcus Thuram. Neither of them shined last night.
It is also a classic of this France to dispatch a pragmatic match like last night in the first matches of the tournaments. A single goal and a false lethargy in his own field in case there is an opportunity to throw at Mbappé. All without any shame, even if the opponent is not a top sword in European football. Nor did Mbappé have it to enter the field on his own with the game dying and drop, bloodied after a blow to the nose, after having previously been treated on the sideline. Gil Manzano gave him the yellow card.
The problem for France was also that when they retreated, they did not have any counterattacks either. Ralf Rangnick’s Austria, one of the gurus of fast-paced football, is a very physical team, tough enough for disputes and duels all over the field. Mbappé was aware of this when on the first ball he touched in a position to progress he was knocked down. Falling to the left, he started sparkling and engaging, while Griezmann tried to clean up plays with touches that would make the French game flow. One of the few attacks that he was able to clarify ended with Mbappé arrowing towards Penz’s goal. With hardly any angle, the Austrian goalkeeper resolved the low shot with a swipe to deflect it.
France collapsed after that first occasion. The alternation of Marcus Thuram with Mbappé as head of the area did not confuse the Austrian centre-backs. The exchanges of both had been the tactical talk of the French concentration in the days before the match. They will have to be more worked. Griezmann couldn’t put together a game either. He could only leave an overhead pass for Mbappé that he did not control well before Pentz left.
The repetition of fouls by the Austrians put France off the mark, suddenly immersed in a combat that did not suit them. The inaccuracies in the passes of the French footballers fueled the rise of the Austrians. Suddenly, Sabitzer, Laimer and Gregoritsch found meadows behind Kanté and Rabiot. The Austrian awakening infuriated Deschamps, who watched on the sideline as Baumgartner stumbled before his meeting with Maignan on the edge of the small area.
Misfortune would befall Austria even more because in the next play they conceded the goal. Mbappé had dropped to the right wing and appeared on that side of the area. With a bicycle he nailed Mwene to beat him to the baseline. The center behind was introduced into his own goal by Wöber with an impossible foreshortening.
The goal, on the verge of halftime, put the game in the landscape in which France feels most comfortable and secure. He managed his advantage and only Mbappé threatened in one of his stampedes to extend the score. In an acceleration from his own field he took his marker ahead and flew to challenge Pentz. He had time to secure the shot with one last touch before scoring that goal that has given him so many goals. The ball did not take the curve he wanted.
Mbappé, with a strong blow to the nose
That was France’s clearest counterattack in the entire second half. He did not mind handing the ball and the field to the Austrians, emboldened because the difference had not been widened. Those moments in Deschamps’ France are those in which Kanté reigns. Man multiplies to cover holes wherever he is. If France attacks with Mbappé, it can be said that he defends his results with his small and charismatic midfielder. Last night, once again, he was the player against whom Deschamps had to sustain a classic victory of his own. One zero and sleep. A shame about the injury to the France star with the strong blow to his nose.
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