France were better than Belgium but had hopelessly lost all their finals and eventually qualified thanks to a Vertonghen goal that sent the Tricolors through to the last 16. Menian kept France in check with two major interventions.
France managed to break Belgium’s resistance even with a goal from Vertonghen just before the game went into extra time. This is how he prepares for Hamburg’s quarter-final, awaiting the winner of the match between Portugal and Slovenia. Deschamps’ side were better off not taking risks, but they had 16 finals with none of the 20 on target and they managed to qualify. Belgium did not expect another contest although they had their moments to win the game, but Meignan was there to say two ‘no’s’ to Lukaku and De Bruyne. So France are in the quarter finals where they will be without Rabiot who received a second yellow card.
That’s how they started
Didier Deschamps decided to change his team’s attack a bit and put Thuram up with Mbappe on the left and Griezmann on the right. So Menian, Upamecano, Saliba, Kute, Hernandez, Tswameni, Kante, Rabiot, Griezmann, Mbappe, Touram were the eleven he chose in a 4-3-3 setup.
On the other hand, Domenico Tedesco changed his plan by presenting a 4-4-2 with Openda and Lukaku for the first time, Doku and Carrasco on the wings and De Bruyne further back next to Onana. The starting eleven were Castells, Fass, Vertonghen, Castagne, Teat, Onana, De Bruyne, Doku, Carrasco, Opeda and Lukaku.
Offensive lineups with defensive plans
The first half passed and did not rest. The most hyped couple of the “16” stage did not meet the expectations. Both teams that had attacking players in their games were unable to make an effective threat. Characteristically, the first significant chance of the game came in the 24th minute with a clever free kick from De Bruyne which almost caught Menian by surprise as he saved with his feet. Until that moment, the finals of Mbappe, Tswameni, Touram and Doku were not worth mentioning.
France were threatened for the first time in the 34th minute when Tswameni found Koute with a great ball to cross, with Toram getting a header and sending the ball just wide.
Five minutes later France threatened again with a long-range shot but Tsoumeni had little to do with it, with the half ending with a fine effort from Mbappe down the left and Tsoumeni’s shot going just wide. That’s how the first half ended, with Tedesco’s tactics not working on the grass, at least in terms of the attacking part, and Deschamps’ tactics not being particularly suitable for the team he has in his hands to manage.
Recitation of the failure of the French
In the second half, France went in determined to get a little higher up the pitch and made their first move quickly. It was Tswameni who threatened again with a strong shot that Castells neutralized by conceding a corner in the 49th minute.
Moments later France threatened again as Thuram went over the bar. In 54′ it was Mbappe’s moment to move classic from the left and create space for himself only to send the ball over the goal again.
Belgium came into the second half in the 61st minute when De Bruyne crossed for Carrasco who came up against Menian, but Theo Hernandez’s superb defensive effort cut him out. After the one hour game, the first changes came. Deschamps switched Touram for Mouani to freshen up his attack, while Tedesco replaced Mangala with Opeda and moved De Bruyne closer to Lukaku.
Menian held on to her
In the 65th minute, Griezmann also had a shot over the bar, continuing the barrage of misfires for France in charge, but it was not as effective as they would have liked. In the 71st minute, this cost them little when Lukaku, following a fine move from Mangala, found himself in a shooting position, but the Belgian forward’s powerful shot was saved by Menian.
74′ shot it was Saliba’s turn to empty Doku and send the ball out with a shot. Although Mbappe’s new shot from inside the area wasn’t as good as the target, repeating the French defeat during the second half. Belgium, on the other hand, had a good second shot on target with Doku putting in a fine effort to feed De Bruyne who tested Meignan’s reflexes, who were right again.
Moani redeemed her (with the help of Vertonghen)
Until we reached the 85th minute for the redeeming goal to come with Mouani. The “tricolor” patiently turned the ball outside the Belgian area, when Kante ran the ball very quickly into the area for Mouani to turn and shoot, the ball went against Vertonghen, who converted course and ended in the net of the helpless that Castells reacted.
The compositions
France (Didier Deschamps): Menian, Upamecano, Saliba, Couté, Hernandez, Tswameni, Kante, Rabiot, Griezmann, Mbappe, Touram (62′ Mouani)
Belgium (Domenico Tedesco): Castells, Fass, Vertonghen, Castanier (88′ De Quetelare), Teat, Onana, De Bruyne, Doku, Carrasco (88′ Lukebaccio), Openda (63′ Mangala), Lukaku