Tag: France

Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice and Michael Olise added a third as France came from behind to beat Egypt 3-1 after extra time on Monday and set up Paris Olympics men’s football final showdown with Spain.

Thierry Henry’s France looked to be heading for defeat in the semi-final in Lyon after Mahmoud Saber put Egypt ahead just after the hour mark.

But Mateta, the Crystal Palace striker, levelled from Olise’s assist with seven minutes of the 90 remaining.

Egypt were reduced to 10 men at the start of extra time when centre-back Omar Fayed was sent off, and the hosts made their numerical superiority count as Mateta headed in.

Olise then sealed the win on 108 minutes and France, looking for their second Olympic men’s football gold medal and first since 1984, now face Spain in the final at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Friday.

Spain, gold medallists in 1992 and silver medallists three years ago in Tokyo, qualified for the Paris Olympics men’s football final earlier on Monday after coming from behind to beat Morocco 2-1 in Marseille.

Egypt and Morocco will meet in Nantes on Thursday in an all-North African play-off for bronze.

France often looked disjointed without suspended midfield duo Manu Kone and Enzo Millot, with the latter banned after his red card at the end of the fiery quarter-final win over Argentina.

However, they had the majority of the chances and defender Loic Bade hit the post late in the first half with a header from a corner.

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Egypt soaked up pressure at the start of the second half before scoring in the 62nd minute.

Saber’s first effort was blocked but when the ball came back to him he engineered space before slamming a shot past France goalkeeper Guillaume Restes.

The hosts almost equalised immediately as a Mateta header was tipped over by goalkeeper Hamza Alaa.

They then struck the woodwork twice in a matter of seconds, captain Alexandre Lacazette heading off a post and Bade nodding the follow-up against the bar.

The equaliser arrived in the 83rd minute, with Olise the creator as he cut through the middle on a driving run before playing in Mateta to finish.

France hoped to find a winner before extra time, but a penalty appeal after Fayed blocked a Bade header with his hand was dismissed following a long VAR review.

They went into the extra half-hour on a sultry evening and Egypt were quickly reduced to 10 men when Fayed, already booked for arguing against the penalty call, saw yellow again for chopping down Desire Doue.

France went ahead when a corner was played short to Olise, and his ball to the far post was headed back across goal by Kiliann Sildillia for Mateta to head in his fourth goal of the tournament.

Olise fired in the third early in the second half of extra time after a clearance struck Doue and fell into his path.

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France coach Didier Deschamps on Monday revealed Kylian Mbappe was getting “better every day” but did not confirm if his captain would start Tuesday’s last Euro 2024 group game against Poland.

“He is doing better every day. He is doing better today than yesterday and the day before that. That is obvious because he has been training,” Deschamps told reporters in Dortmund, where France and Poland will meet in the Group D finale.

“The bruising has come down and he is getting used to the mask. He is as eager to play tomorrow as he was eager to play against the Netherlands.”

Kylian Mbappe did not play any part in last Friday’s 0-0 draw with the Netherlands in Leipzig after suffering the broken nose late in his team’s opening 1-0 win over Austria in Duesseldorf a week ago.

He did not undergo an operation on the injury but will need to wear the protective mask when he returns to the side.

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Didier Deschamps added: “He does not find that the mask limits him but it does restrict his vision a little. He needs to get used to it, even though the technology nowadays allows these masks to be as thin as possible.”

France come into the game in second place in the group and with their place in Euro 2024 last 16 in little doubt.

However, the 2022 World Cup runners-up need to better the Netherlands’ result at the same time against Austria — or at least win by a wider margin — in order to take top spot.

They are keen to get Kylian Mbappe back on the pitch given their only goal so far in two matches was an own goal.

“We all know how good a finisher Kylian is,” said N’Golo Kante, alongside his coach at Monday’s press conference.

“It is a massive plus for us to have Kylian. I had sort of forgotten he was wearing a mask.

“He helped us win our training game today. He looked dangerous and was decisive. He feels good and I hope that will be the case during the match.”

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France drew 0-0 against the Netherlands without Kylian Mbappe as both teams took a step closer to the last 16 of Euro 2024 on Friday, while Ukraine earned an emotional win over Slovakia.

Kylian Mbappe watched from the bench as an unused substitute in Leipzig, the new Real Madrid recruit forced to wear a mask in training this week after breaking his nose in France’s opening game of the Euro 2024.

Didier Deschamps included Mbappe in his matchday squad but elected not to risk his star striker, with qualification for the knockout phase largely assured.

“Of course Kylian is one of the best players in the world, so a player like that who is not on the pitch is a loss for us. But other players performed really well,” said France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. “We hope he comes back as soon as possible.”

Dutch midfielder Xavi Simons had a goal controversially ruled out for offside in the second half, while Antoine Griezmann, captaining France in Mbappe’s absence, was guilty of wasting his team’s two best opportunities to score.

“I had two chances, but they got caught up in my feet. It’s a real shame,” said Griezmann.

“We have to work (on scoring). I think that defensively we were OK, tactically we were fine, we’re just missing this goal for the strikers but it’s going to be fine.”

Simons thought he had fired the Netherlands ahead with 20 minutes left but Denzel Dumfries was deemed to be interfering with France goalkeeper Mike Maignan and the goal was disallowed after a lengthy VAR check.

“For me, it was a valid goal, but he didn’t give it. It’s a shame,” said Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk. “One point is good. We haven’t lost, it’s all in our hands.”

Poland, who lost 3-1 to Austria in Berlin, became the first team dumped out following the draw between France and the Netherlands in the late Group D fixture.

France will play the eliminated Poles in their final group match on Tuesday. They are level on four points at the top with the Dutch, who face Austria at the same time.

On the other hand, Ukraine’s players shed tears of joy as the team playing in their first international tournament since Russian forces invaded in February 2022 came from behind to beat Slovakia 2-1 to move second in Group E.

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Their first win of Euro 2024 also earned a message of congratulations from the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Roman Yaremchuk came off the bench to hit the winner in Duesseldorf.

After a bruising 3-0 defeat by Romania in their opener, Ukraine showed spirit to fight back with Mykola Shaparenko levelling early in the second half following Ivan Schranz’s opener.

Zelensky said, “Way to go guys!” in a message on social media network X, saying the result showed his country can “take a punch and overcome obstacles”.

“The players showed the spirit of Ukraine on the pitch and deserved the win,” said coach Serhiy Rebrov.

Poland are heading for the exit despite the return of talisman Robert Lewandowski from a thigh injury.

Lewandowski, who missed Poland’s opening loss to the Dutch, came on as a substitute but could not help his team make inroads against Ralf Rangnick’s sturdy Austrian side.

Poland striker Krzysztof Piatek levelled Gernot Trauner’s opener, but Christoph Baumgartner restored the lead for Austria in the second half and Marko Arnautovic sealed the win with a late penalty.

After their second defeat of the tournament, Poland coach Michal Probierz insisted Lewandowski was fit to play.

“He was fully fit and he has practised with the team,” said Probierz.

On Saturday, Belgium will attempt to bounce back from a shock 1-0 loss to Slovakia in their Group E opener as they play Romania in Cologne.

Portugal can secure a last-16 spot if they beat Turkey in Dortmund, while Czech Republic and debutants Georgia are searching for their first points in Group F as they meet for the first time in Hamburg.

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Maximilian Woeber’s own goal was enough to give France a winning start to their Euro 2024 campaign on Monday as they edged Austria 1-0 in their opening game but Kylian Mbappe came off late on with a broken nose.

Woeber diverted Mbappe’s cutback into his own net seven minutes before half-time in Duesseldorf to allow the French, one of the leading contenders to win the tournament, to come through a stiff test.

Austria have been much-improved under Ralf Rangnick and they often made life uncomfortable for France, who saw Mbappe leave the field near the end after being hurt in a collision.

He had earlier failed to convert a glorious chance that would have allowed France to win by a wider margin, and sources close to the player confirmed he had broken his nose in the accidental clash with Kevin Danso.

“He is in a bad way. He is not well. His nose is a mess, that’s for sure. That is the black mark of the evening for us,” France coach Didier Deschamps said, without confirming the extent of the injury.

“We had the chance to put the game to bed and it is true that we could have been more precise in attack, but it’s very good to start with a victory,” Deschamps said of the result.

France will next face the Netherlands in Leipzig on Friday, while Austria will face Poland on the same day in Berlin.

“We are obviously disappointed with the result. No France player scored against us in 100 minutes, just a very unfortunate own goal,” said Rangnick.

“I think Didier Deschamps was really happy when the final whistle came which shows how well my team played.”

Austria had enjoyed some impressive results coming into the tournament and their team is on familiar ground during these Euros — Rangnick is from Germany and eight of their starting line-up played in the German Bundesliga last season.

The French, however, are arguably the most talented team at the tournament, led by their captain Mbappe.

He endured a miserable time at his only previous Euros in 2021, failing to score and missing the decisive penalty in a shoot-out defeat by Switzerland in the last 16.

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The new Real Madrid signing will wonder how he did not score in this game, with his first big opportunity arriving inside eight minutes.

Antoine Griezmann and Theo Hernandez combined to release Mbappe, who cut in from the left and shaped to curl a shot into the far corner before instead aiming for the near post.

However, Austria goalkeeper Patrick Pentz managed to make the save.

The Austrians settled into the contest and passed up a wonderful chance of their own to go ahead on 36 minutes.

Skipper Marcel Sabitzer touched down a Michael Gregoritsch cross from the left for Christoph Baumgartner, but he was foiled by goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

That proved crucial as France took the lead two minutes later.

Ousmane Dembele gave the ball to Mbappe on the right, and he produced a stepover to get to the byline before his cutback was nodded into the far corner of his own net by the unfortunate Woeber.

Mbappe was then thwarted by Pentz as he tried to go around the goalkeeper in first-half stoppage time, but that was nothing compared to the chance he squandered 10 minutes after the restart.

Adrien Rabiot sent Mbappe away, bounding in behind the Austrian defence, but he somehow put his shot wide with just the goalkeeper to beat.

That left the game in the balance, and Austria continued to push for a leveller, without success.

Their fans were less than impressed by what they perceived as timewasting late on from Mbappe, who needed treatment after colliding with Danso in the box.

He left the pitch with his shirt stained by blood, only to then come back on and sit down, earning himself a yellow card before being replaced by Olivier Giroud.

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Olivier Giroud, the record goal scorer of France, is to retire from international football after Euro 2024, the World Cup-winning striker told Friday’s edition of L’Equipe.

Giroud, who will turn 38 in September, said it was time for the younger generation to have a chance at the international level.

The former Arsenal, Chelsea and AC Milan striker, who joins MLS outfit Los Angeles FC following the European Championship, has scored 57 goals in 131 international appearances.

He broke Thierry Henry’s national goalscoring record of 51 at the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar where France did not surrender the title they won in 2018 easily, losing to Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina on penalties in the final.

“To be honest, this will be my last tournament with France,” said Giroud, who was first capped in a friendly against the United States in November 2011.

“Obviously I will miss it a lot. But I believe as regards ‘Les Bleus’, it will be game over after Euro.

“It is time to leave the stage to the young.

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“If I triumph in the Euro, I can say that I won everything apart from the Premier League, which is very difficult to win,” he said, adding that the 60-goal milestone was not an obsession for him.

Olivier Giroud, who made his name at Montpellier by inspiring the unfashionable club to the 2012 Ligue 1 title, says he believes he still has enough in his legs to pursue a club career.

“I still think I have two years in me, but for the France team in my opinion it has come to an end,” said Giroud, who was also a member of the team under Didier Deschamps that reached the Euro 2016 final.

“Time is beginning to catch up with me and I have thought about it long and hard.

“Playing every three days is becoming more and more difficult, especially at the international level.

“I am, though, not going to Los Angeles to be a tourist, but I think it is the right moment for me.”

Giroud’s long career has been rewarded not only with the 2018 World Cup winners medal but also the 2019 Champions League with Chelsea, the 2022 Serie A championship with AC Milan and four FA Cup victories (three with Arsenal, one with Chelsea).

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France coach Didier Deschamps has cast doubt on Kylian Mbappe’s chances of representing his country at this year’s Paris Olympics, saying that it would be “very difficult” to compete at the Games straight after Euro 2024.

“It is very difficult from a psychological and physical viewpoint to take part in two competitions like that one after the other, in the summer, without having any holiday,” Deschamps admitted on Thursday.

The France coach confirmed that some members of his squad for the European Championship are likely to also feature in the Olympics squad, which will be named by Thierry Henry.

However, Deschamps said the Euro “remains the priority” and that the identities of those players featuring at the Olympics would need to be known before the continental championship, which starts on June 14.

“We don’t want any interference with our preparations, so once we are in our training camp at Clairefontaine, it needs to be clear who is going and who is not going,” Deschamps said.

It is understood that Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, the France captain, is very keen to represent his country at the Olympics, along with Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann.

Yet the European Championship in Germany does not finish until July 14, with the Olympic football tournament beginning on July 24.

That means there would be no time for a break in between, at least if France go deep into the Euro.

Men’s football at the Summer Games is for players aged under 23, although three overage players can feature too, paving the way for the 25-year-old Mbappe and other senior French stars to take part.

However, football’s world governing body FIFA does not oblige clubs to release players for the Olympics, which could complicate Mbappe’s situation even more.

The forward has already told PSG he plans to leave when his contract expires at the end of this season and Real Madrid is expected to be his next destination.

His new club is unlikely to be thrilled at the prospect of Mbappe going to the Games rather than taking a holiday ahead of the start of the new season — the final of the Olympic tournament is set for August 9.

France legend Henry is currently in charge of the national Under-21 side and will oversee the team at the Olympics.

He accepts that whether Kylian Mbappe features in the squad does not ultimately come down to him.

“I have no certainties. I am at the mercy of a yes or a no from a club,” Henry said on Thursday.

“And then if they agree and then change coach in the meantime, who is to say I would still have him?”

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PARIS: France failed to retain the title of UEFA Nations League as their hopes to qualify for the final four were shattered after a home defeat by Croatia in a Group A1 match, here at Stade de France Stadium on Monday.

France’s eagerness to secure their first win in the competition remained unfulfilled as Croatia avenged the World Cup Final loss to rule the World Champions out of the League.

Luka Modric scored the penalty in the fifth minute after Ante Budimir was knocked down inside the area by Ibrahima Konate, which remained the lone goal of the match as Karim Benzema’s side failed to take down the lead.

France have now lost two and drawn two games in the competition to finish at the bottom of Group A1 with two points.

Meanwhile, Denmark top the group on nine points – two points ahead of Croatia – after a 2-0 win over Austria.

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PARIS: Danish striker Andreas Cornelius sealed the fate of his national team with two startling goals in a tough game against the world champions France, in UEFA Nations League Group A match, here at Stade de France Stadium on Friday.

France striker Karim Benzema, fresh out of UEFA Champions League victory for his club Real Madrid, looked in a sublime form in this match as well. He forced Denmark under enormous pressure from the start and was finally able to net the ball in the 51st minute as he dribbled past Denmark’s defense.

Cornelius who came as a substitute in the second half, however, leveled the France lead in the 68th minute.

France remained undeterred by the goal and continued with its attacks. French midfielder N’Golo Kante could have put France back in the lead, yet his fierce shot hit the right-hand post.

The 29-years old Cornelius, however, blasted the ball into the net in the 88th minute of the game to lead his team towards victory.

Denmark will now face group leaders Austria in an away game while France will take on Croatia on the latter’s home soil, who lost 3-0 to Austria on Friday.

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