France were held to an underwhelming 0-0 draw with the Netherlands in the third of Friday’s Euro 2024 games.
With Kylian Mbappe watching on from the bench just days after breaking his nose, France looked a little disjointed in attack, although Antoine Griezmann will still feel as though he had enough chances to seal the win.
Xavi Simons saw a second-half strike controversially chalked off by VAR, with the two sides ultimately labouring to the first goalless draw of Euro 2024.
How the game unfolded
Jeremie Frimpong got in behind in the opening two minutes but could not get a full connection on the shot amid pressure from the retreating Theo Hernandez, allowing Mike Maignan to deflect the effort wide. The stopper also got down well to deny Cody Gakpo soon after.
Griezmann was left wondering how he failed to open the scoring when Adrien Rabiot’s cut-back left him stretching. The ball was behind the Atletico Madrid striker, who could not convert from just a few yards out.
France soon wrestled control of the game and could have taken the lead through Marcus Thuram, but the Inter striker blazed his effort over the bar 30 minutes in after some good work from Jules Kounde down the right.
Xavi Simons and Memphis Depay both had dangerous moments as the first half wound down but neither managed to ask a serious question of Maignan in the France goal, while Griezmann’s tame header brought the first 45 minutes to an end.
A slow start to the second half saw both sides guilty of sloppy errors in the final third. Thuram fired wide on the hour mark, before Aurelien Tchouameni headed over from close range.
Griezmann again failed to make the most of a chance from close range. He could not trap N’Golo Kante’s quick pass and scuffed his shot wide.
France’s profligacy looked to be punished 20 minutes from time when Simons fired into the back of the net, but a late flag decided Denzel Dumfries, who was stood in an offside position, was obstructing Maignan. A lengthy VAR check ultimately agreed.
In the dying embers, Rabiot’s low cross failed to find Kingsley Coman, which summed up this game pretty well. A forgettable affair all round.
GK: Bart Verbruggen – 7/10 – A busy performance which featured a handful of smart stops.
RB: Denzel Dumfries – 5/10 – Confident defensively considering Rabiot was opposite him, but didn’t do nearly enough going forwards.
CB: Stefan de Vrij – 7/10 – Had to keep busy to…
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