Football

France secures scrappy win against Austria as Mbappé suffers broken nose

France had to see out a 1-0 win against an organized Austrian side in their opening match at the 2024 European Championship in Germany.

Les Bleus secured maximum points courtesy of Max Wöber’s own goal, and it was far from convincing with an array of stars at France’s disposal.

The two sides largely neutralized each other in the first half, and there were few chances between them.

France’s main source of attack was the captain,  Kylian Mbappé. Still, the first was AC Milan defender Theo Hernandez, who under-lapped and over-lapped runs that caused the most problems in a relatively settled Austria defense. 

The AC Milan defender’s runs contributed to Les Bleus’ best chance of the half as he combined with Adrien Rabiot, who put the ball through to Mbappé. The soon-to-be Real Madrid forward opened his body to drag the shot to the near post, but it was stopped by Patrick Pentz, who tipped it around the corner. 

The best chance of the first half came to  Austria. Christoph Baumgartner latched onto Marcel Sabitzer’s knock-down within the France penalty area, but he couldn’t beat Mike Maignan, who was starting in a major tournament for the first time.

France went ahead seconds later as Mbappé floated across the front line, found himself on the right-hand side, and put a ball back into the box, which was then inexplicably diverted into his own net by Wöber.

After a relatively flat affair in the first half with a few moments of tension, France upped their tempo in the second half. Mbappé missed an opportunity to add to his tournament goal tally when, for his standards, he was a sitter. With a one-on-one chance with Pentz, everyone expected the net to bulge, but the former PSG striker curled wide.

Meanwhile, France could have another headache after Mbappé had to be replaced late due to a suspected broken nose after a nasty collision. 

Mbappé raised to challenge Swiss defender Kevin Danso in the air to a header but, after losing the battle, was met by the Austrian international’s shoulder. 

The Real Madrid forward suffered a significant impact as blood rushed from his nose and onto the white France jersey. With a look of worry, Austrian goalkeeper Patrick Pentz immediately urged the French physios to give the former Monaco attacker urgent treatment.  

Although he left the pitch with an injury, the France captain quickly returned to the pitch and was ultimately booked for time-wasting as he looked to aid the clock ticking down and secure France’s first victory of EURO 2024. Mbappé eventually made way for France’s all-time highest goalscorer, Olivier Giroud. 

What’s left is to know how this will impact the forward’s availability for the rest of the tournament.

About the Author


Written by DafaNews

DafaNews brings you the most highlighted news in the world of Sports. It serves you up-to-date matches, scores, live streams, fantasy games and quizzes. Our news covers prestigious leagues and events – Premier League, Champions League, World Cup and many more.

Related Post
Share
Published by
DafaNews

Recent Posts

Valencia pleads with La Liga for postponement of game against Real Madrid

Valencia have pleaded with the La Liga authorities to postpone its match with Real Madrid… Read More

October 31, 2024

Dubois gets permission to face new challenger

Daniel Dubois has been given the go-ahead from the International Boxing Federation (IBF) to fight… Read More

October 31, 2024

Manchester United faces a brick wall ahead of Amorim’s appointment

Manchester United has seen their attempt to appoint Rúben Amorim as Erik ten Hag's successor… Read More

October 31, 2024

Randal Kolo Muani set to leave PSG

Reports have emanated from France that Randal Kolo Muani could leave Paris Saint-Germain for as… Read More

October 31, 2024

Dortmund chief Sebastian Kehl drums support for Nuri Sahin despite early season woes

Nuri Sahin has come under fire after Borussia Dortmund's start this term, but has received… Read More

October 31, 2024

Chet Holmgren Shines as Thunder Defeat Spurs, Besting Rival Victor Wembanyama

In an early showdown between two of the NBA’s most promising young big men, Chet… Read More

October 31, 2024