France made a profitable begin to their Group D marketing campaign however have been made to work arduous for it by resilient Austria in Düsseldorf.
Kylian Mbappe arrange the one aim when he produced a devastating flip of tempo earlier than his cross from the byline was glanced into his personal web by defender Max Wober seven minutes earlier than the break.
Cristoph Baumgartner was fantastically denied by France keeper Mike Maignan whereas Mbappe fired vast when clear by way of as his anticipate a primary European Championship aim goes on.
The France skipper left the sector early after a nasty conflict of heads left him nursing a damaged nostril however France held on to affix the Netherlands on three factors within the group.
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Ralf Rangnick’s Austria had misplaced simply one in all their final 16 matches and made life arduous for Didier Deschamps’ aspect with a efficiency filled with vitality and willpower.
The 2018 World Champions started brightly and inside minutes Mbappe burst down the left flank earlier than firing in a low shot which keeper Patrick Pentz turned across the base of his close to publish and into the aspect netting.
Marcus Thuram slotted Theo Hernandez by way of on the left of the world on 13 minutes however his low cross-shot fizzed previous the far upright with no contact.
Wober went into the e-book for lunging on the marauding Ousmane Dembele on the appropriate flank quickly after after which gave the ball away permitting Antoine Griezmann to drive ahead earlier than recovering to deflect his shot behind.
Austria grew into the sport and pinched possession within the France half resulting in Konrad Laimer’s first-time effort from an angle being gathered at his close to publish by Maignan earlier than Phillipp Mweme was booked for one more lunge on Dembele on 33 minutes.
Maignan to the rescue
Baumgartner got here closest to breaking the impasse after Florian Grillitsch’s curling cross from the left was knocked down by Marcel Sabitzer leaving Baumgarter with solely Maignan to beat, although the Milan keeper acquired down properly to deflect his shot into the bottom and previous the publish, although the Austrians have been livid to not be awarded a nook.
They have been much more upset when the impasse was damaged simply two minutes later on the different finish when Mbappe picked the unfastened ball up on the appropriate and produced a devastating second of trickery and energy to dart previous Mweme to the byline earlier than firing in a cross which Wober may solely look off his head and contained in the far publish.
Pentzy raced off his line to pounce on a ball at Mbappe’s toes after he broke the Austrian offside lure in added time however after the break Austria have been again on the assault and Stefan Posch fired over from 25 yards.
After almost 5 video games with no aim within the Euros, Mbappe outpaced Wober to latch onto a protracted clearance and bore down on aim solely to bend the ball inches previous the far publish simply earlier than the hour.
France have been nearly made to pay as Sabitzer went down within the field below strain from Dayot Upamecano, just for his appeals for a penalty to be waved away.
In all places. #EURO2024 | #AUTFRA pic.twitter.com/1N0S2nkJvw
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 17, 2024
Dembele lower in however lashed off beam whereas Hernandez flashed one other low cross from the left throughout the face of aim with Griezmann unable to slip in and get the decisive contact, and Jules Kounde’s curling follow-up was blocked.
Pentz parried away an angled strike from Thuram because the French strain constructed and the Frenchman blazed excessive and vast after some fast toes helped him glide in from the left of the world.
On the different finish Baumgartner was denied by the sliding Maignan and obtained a warning for his makes an attempt to win the ball within the field whereas Laimer additionally went into the e-book for an obvious hand in Mbappe’s face.
Thuram may solely hearth straight on the keeper from shut vary after Eduardo Camavinga’s cut-back within the closing levels however N’Golo Kante wanted to be alert to halt a break from full of life Austria sub Patrick Wimmer.
Mbappe wanted remedy on his nostril after a conflict of heads at a set-piece and after his departure sub Olivier Giroud missed his kick when properly positioned within the space deep into stoppage time.
France withstood a frenetic end to tee-up their Friday evening conflict with the Netherlands completely, whereas Austria will face Poland at 5pm BST the identical day searching for to get off the mark in Group D.
