France faced Belgium in the last 16 of Euro 2024 and won 1-0 with a late goal to secure their place in the quarter-finals.
Both teams played cautiously in the first half, which ended in a scoreless draw. France dominated the second half, but Belgium occasionally managed to create danger with their counterattacks.
But the silence was broken in the 85th minute, when Kolo Muani’s late shot bounced off Jan Vertonghen and into the net, an own goal by the 37-year-old defender giving France a 1-0 victory.
France, who have advanced to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, will face the winner of the match between Portugal and Slovenia.
The quarter-final match will be held at Hamburg’s Volkspark Stadium on Friday 5 July, with kick-off at 10pm Japan time.
Vertonghen’s good fortune
Belgium came close to scoring through Kevin De Bruyne in the 83rd minute. The 33-year-old captain fired a brilliant long-range shot on a counter-attack, only for goalkeeper Maignan to clear it.
The next goal came when Kolo Muani turned quickly and shot from inside the penalty area, the ball bouncing off Belgium’s 37-year-old defender Vertonghen and into the net.
France reaches the quarter-finals for the eighth time
France, a two-time European champion (1984 and 2000), reached the quarter-finals for the eighth time this year.
France, which will compete in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, has previously reached the quarter-finals of the European Championships in 1960, 1984, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2012 and 2016.
Finally, France, who had a bye in the last 16 of the 2020 tournament, are once again in the quarter-finals at Euro 2024.
Man of the Match Kounde
Jules Kounde was named Man of the Match for France vs Belgium.
Kounde particularly attracted attention with his trapping in the first half, and also performed well defensively against one of Belgium’s most talented players, Doku.
