France Draws with Poland as Austria Tops Group D in Euro 2024
A masked Kylian Mbappe scored his first goal in the Euros, but France was held to a 1-1 draw by an already-eliminated Poland, finishing second in Group D. France needed a win to top the group, but Robert Lewandowski’s 79th-minute penalty canceled out Mbappe’s earlier spot-kick.
Ralf Rangnick’s Austria put on an impressive display to beat the Netherlands 3-2, securing the top spot in the group, while the Dutch took third place. Didier Deschamps’ France now faces the runner-up in Group E, sharing the same half of the draw as Portugal, Spain, and Germany.
Mbappe, returning to the starting lineup with a protective mask after a broken nose, scored his first European Championship goal 11 minutes into the second half. Ousmane Dembele was fouled in the box by Polish and Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior, and Mbappe converted the penalty with ease.
However, France’s lead was short-lived. A clumsy challenge from Dayot Upamecano led to a penalty for Poland. Mike Maignan initially saved Lewandowski’s effort, but the goalkeeper had stepped off his line early, and the penalty was retaken. Lewandowski scored on the second attempt, joining Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric in scoring in four European Championships.
France Struggles to Hit Top Form
Thousands of French fans at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund saw Mbappe score in the 56th minute, celebrating his 48th goal for France by ripping off his protective mask. It seemed France was on track to top Group D, but Poland had other plans. Despite being set to head home after finishing last in the group, Poland surprised the 2022 World Cup finalists.
Upamecano, who has been on Bayern Munich’s bench for much of the season, made a crucial error that led to Poland’s equalizer. He fouled Karol Swiderski, resulting in a penalty. Lewandowski’s first attempt was saved by Maignan, but the French keeper had moved off his line too early. Lewandowski made no mistake with the retake, slotting the ball into the corner.
France struggled to create clear chances to reclaim the lead, even though they dominated possession with 58% and had 19 shots on goal. Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski performed well, keeping France at bay. Deschamps’ team enters the knockout stage having scored only twice in their three group games, one of which was an own goal.
France heavily relies on Mbappe, who is now just one goal behind Michel Platini’s French record of 14 goals in major tournaments. However, Mbappe needs more support from his teammates to help France advance further. Ousmane Dembele showed potential on the right wing but has yet to score for France in a major tournament. Antoine Griezmann, another key player, has also struggled to find the back of the net in recent games. The midfield and defense must also step up to provide stability and create more opportunities for the forwards. Deschamps will need to adjust his tactics to ensure that other players contribute to the scoring and relieve some pressure off Mbappe. If France can find a way to harness the full potential of their talented squad, they have a strong chance of advancing deep into the tournament. The upcoming knockout stages will be a true test of their resilience and teamwork.
