France face Belgium in the Euro 2024 last 16 looking to generate momentum after a set-back in the group stage.
Failure to win Group D, thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s retaken penalty, means Didier Deschamps’ side must contend with hosts Germany, Spain and, perhaps, Portugal in the same half of the draw en route to the final in Berlin. Deschamps has a selection headache, too, with Antoine Griezmann’s involvement uncertain as Les Bleus search for the right balance in the line-up.
And they face a Belgian side with similar doubts and problems after a tough group stage of their own, settling for second in Group E behind Romania following an uninspiring draw with Ukraine, which saw Kevin De Bruyne and other players clash with their own supporters at full-time.
Follow all the build-up and team news from France v Belgium in Dusseldorf below.
GOAL! France 1-0 Belgium (Kolo Muani, 85’)⚽️
85 mins: Heartbreak for Belgium.
France move the ball superbly. Short passes from the left wing sees them bring the ball across to Jules Kounde who rolls it back to N’Golo Kante.
Kante slips a pass into the box for Randal Kolo Muani who checks to the right and shoots. There’s a big deflection which wrongfoots the goalkeeper.
Koen Casteels drops to his right and the ball passes on his left. France were care, they’re in front with just a few minutes left!
Mike Jones1 July 2024 18:44
France 0-0 Belgium
84 mins: Save! Was that the moment for Belgium?
They burst up the pitch after picking out Lukaku. He gives it Doku who feeds De Bruyne. The Belgium captain lets the ball roll across to his right foot and smashes a shot at goal only for Mike Maignan to slap it clear as he drops to the right.
Mike Jones1 July 2024 18:41
France 0-0 Belgium
81 mins: Into the last 10 minutes now, this match has all the signs of heading to a penalty shootout. Neither team is stepping on the accelerator to go on and win this game.
It’s all slow and tepid at the minute.
Mike Jones1 July 2024 18:38
France 0-0 Belgium
78 mins: Jan Vertonghen goes into the book after getting himself in a tangle with Randal Kolo Muani and bringing down the French forward.
Mike Jones1 July 2024 18:37
France 0-0 Belgium
Griezmann puts a corner ball into the box which gets headed out to Jules Kounde. William Saliba jogs out of the box, takes the ball and jogs back in without being challenged by Belgium.
He rolls the ball onto his left foot and lets fly but the effort goes wide of the nearest post. Still France fail to hit the target.
Mike Jones1 July 2024 18:32
France 0-0 Belgium
Orel Mangala has come on for Belgium and receives the ball from De Bruyne as he makes the run down the left. He slips the ball inside to Romelu Lukaku who shoots and smokes hit effort towards the near post where Mike Maignan strongly punches it away.
Belgium force a save out of the goalkeeper.
Mike Jones1 July 2024 18:29
France 0-0 Belgium
69 mins: Since the break, France have had another eight attempts but none of them have troubled Koen Casteels. They need to start hitting the target or else Belgium could punish them on the counter.
Mike Jones1 July 2024 18:27
France 0-0 Belgium
Mbappe and Rabiot link up on the left wing before the ball gets played across to Girezmann. He flicks the ball up into the air then volleys a shot at goals as it drops.
The connection is clean but it’s wayward and skims wide of the right hand post.
Mike Jones1 July 2024 18:23
France 0-0 Belgium
63 mins: Belgium’s first corner of the game doesn’t bring another chance so Didier Deschamps decides to make a change for France. Marcus Thuram goes off with Randal Kolo Muani brought on.
Mike Jones1 July 2024 18:19
France 0-0 Belgium
60 mins: An hour played in Dusseldorf and still no goals. This was probably to be expected after watching the group games from both sides.
Belgium overturn the ball in the middle of the pitch and De Bruyne releases Carrasco into the penalty area. Just as he’s about to shoot, Theo Hernandez gets back and pokes the ball behind with a sliding tackle.
France celebrate as though they’ve just scored.
Mike Jones1 July 2024 18:19