KYL-ER SHOCK: Kylian Mbappe scored on his return but the French team’s failed performance sent them into a difficult group of Euro 2024 with second place.
France’s finishing problems could not be concealed by KYLIAN MBAPPE.
Although he scored his first goal at a European Championship from the penalty spot, the superstar was unable to lead his team to the convincing victory they deserved as Poland held them to a draw.
Kylian Mbappe scored from the spotCredit: PA
He sent Lukasz Skorupski the wrong wayCredit: Getty
Robert Lewandowski equalised from the spotCredit: AFP
It was his second attempt to convertCredit: AFPRobert Lewandowski pulled earned his point from his own spot kick, which means the French finish second in Group D.
They are now drawn into the same side of the draw as Germany, Portugal, and Spain, and this is the first major tournament since 2012 that they have not won their group.
In the event that they get past the Round of 16, they will probably face Portugal in the quarterfinals and either Germany or Spain in the semifinals.
Despite Mbappe’s skill and abundance of creations, France was unable to convert the opportunities they produced.Marcus Thuram was replaced by the returning French captain, Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain, who was starting for the first time for France, in place of Antoine Griezmann, who was guilty of squandering the two finest chances on Friday.
Poland were already out, but were allowed to bring Lewandowski into the starting XI for the first time in Germany.
Les Bleus began knowing they had already advanced to the round of 16. This was true even though they had not scored a goal of their own in the two games played thus far—the winning goal against Austria was an own goal.
After the national anthems, a horde of photographers waited to catch a shot of Mbappe wearing his mask in the hopes that he would improve his performance in front of goal.France got off to a rough start.The fact that Didier Deschamps’ team was giving up as many opportunities as they were allowing was worrisome because they had been so strong in the first two games.
Early opportunities fell to Poland as well as Theo Hernandez and Ousmane Dembele, who both shot straight at the custodian.Mike Maignan was put to the test by Piotr Zielinski and Kacper Urbanski, and then Lewandowski missed a clear header ten years ago while returning to the pitch where he played for four years.Mbappe, like usual, was quiet in the beginning but was seizing his opportunities.Nicola Zalewski had dragged him back, and he ought to have been free to gallop down the left, but referee Marco Guida did not play advantage.
Additionally, Polish custodian Lukasz Skorupski turned away the charm twice, with Barcola setting up both tries prior to halftime.Mbappe attempted to seize the lead right away after entering the game late in the first half.He blasted one effort over the bar with his left, made a diving save with his right and rolled another just wide of the far post in the minute that it took.Even though Mbappe was assuming a leading role, he still required colleague Dembele to win him a penalty kick in order to score.
Jakub Kiwior of Arsenal brought down Dembele just inside the box, allowing the No. 10 to celebrate his comeback with his first goal of the summer by shooting low to the right and sending the custodian the wrong way.
There were still opportunities to extend the lead. Barcola grabbed possession and ran a play from deep in his own half, but his effort was stopped at the near post.
Hernandez made more expensive errors when he sent a low cross through the box without anyone around to receive it.
Following their missed opportunities in Leipzig, France was saved by a VAR-backed offside ruling, although the technology penalised them in this instance.
When Dayot Upamecano took down sub Karol Swiderski, the Italian referee Guida waived away Polish protestations, but Swiderski was sent to the screen and had second thoughts.
The issues persisted after then. Lewandowski’s initial attempt was saved by Maignan, but VAR indicated that he had crossed his line too soon.
Poland was told to go again, and Lewandowski finished the job in the same location this time.
France is out, but the team that has been winning everything in Europe for the past few years has a lot of issues going into the knockout stages.
