A penalty from Kylian Mbappe was matched by Robert Lewandowski's spot kick, resulting in a 1-1 tie between France and Poland, who were already eliminated, in Dortmund on Tuesday. This outcome places France as the runner-up in Group D. Mbappe scored his first goal in the European Championship and the inaugural goal for a French player in Euro 2024 during the 56th minute, converting a penalty awarded for Jakub Kiwior's rough tackle on Ousmane Dembele. However, Dayot Upamecano fouled Polish substitute Karol Swiderksi, allowing Lewandowski to equalize from the penalty spot in the 79th minute, despite his initial attempt being saved by Mike Maignan, who was later deemed to have moved off his line prematurely. This draw positions France behind Austria in Group D and sets them up to face the second-place team from Group E, which includes Romania, Belgium, Slovakia, and Ukraine, all with three points. This marks the first instance in 12 years under manager Didier Deschamps that France has not topped their group in a major tournament. The French team delivered another lackluster performance, lacking creativity throughout, despite controlling possession. They were repeatedly thwarted by Poland's exceptional goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski, who made several key saves against Mbappe, Theo Hernandez, Ousmane Dembele, and Bradley Barcola's close attempts. After Poland's equalizer, France faced a surge of attacks from the energized Polish team, backed by their vocal supporters who created a lively atmosphere at Dortmund BVB Stadion following Lewandowski’s goal. Deschamps continues to experiment with his forward line after three matches, choosing to bench star player Antoine Griezmann against Poland, with his role remaining undefined.
Text: Lara Palmer
26.06.2024
Mbappe and Lewandowski Exchange Penalties as France's Group Stage Ends in Disappointment