Euro 2024: Vertonghen’s Late Own Goal Sends France To Quarterfinals

Dusseldorf: An unhappy stupid occupy aim by Jan Vertonghen proved decisive as France edged previous neighbours Belgium and into the quarterfinals of UEFA Euro 2024. Playing at the Dusseldorf Arena, France faced a troublesome fight from Belgium, but they rode their good fortune to seal a insist within the final-eight stage.

France began the match as the favourite but the main staunch frisson came at the opposite pause. Belgium had fallen into a sample of waiting for counters, but it completely became from a pointless ball that they almost took the lead. Kevin De Bruyne arced a free-kick into the France box that evaded all people and compelled Mike Maignan – seeing the ball stupid – to scamper a place along with his toes.

That presaged a selected spell from the Red Devils, who get been on the opposite hand lucky to full the main half stage, Marcus Thuram heading narrowly large from a Jules Kounde corrupt earlier than Aurélien Tchouameni blazed over. Tchouameni had the main bite after the interval too, his shot from the fringe of the dilemma deflected by Wout Faes and batted away by Koen Casteels.

France get been constructing stress, but their attempts get been mostly wayward and off-target. Thuram, Tchouameni, and Kylian Mbappe all despatched efforts over and William Saliba screwed a shot large after Romelu Lukaku had no now not up to discovered the target for Belgium. The Roma forward tested Maignan with a fierce strike, and the France keeper became likewise equal to a De Bruyne pressure.

The Red Devils looked indulge in they're going to kind France pay for his or her spurned probabilities – till the breakthrough within the slay came. Change Randal Kolo Muani became the instigator, turning within the dilemma and beating Casteels with a shot that took a indispensable deflection off Jan Vertonghen. Tricky on Belgium, perchance, but France had long threatened to strike and they also'll now ogle forward to the quarterfinals.