The Blues won Monday at the Stade de France against Greece (1-0), in a match marked by Kylian Mbappé’s goal from the penalty spot and arbitration which has often been particularly unfavorable to them.
A welcome and above all well-deserved rest. At the end of a grueling season with more than 60 games for some of them, the Blues won the very last meeting that awaited them, against Greece, Monday June 19 at the Stade de France (1-0) , during the 4th day of the Euro 2024 qualifiers. With this victory acquired thanks to the penalty scored by Kylian Mbappé after returning from the locker room (55th), the French team reigns over its group B with four victories in four games and can calmly consider the continuation of his campaign at the start of the school year.
To win by the smallest of margins, the Blues had to fight for 90 minutes with eleven Greek players who were determined to bring back the draw from their Parisian escapade, and for almost an hour with Mateu Lahoz. The referee of the meeting officiated for the very last time of his career on Monday and perhaps he had already packed his bags, put away the whistles a little too early, because his first decisions were more than contentious.
Griezmann victim of an attack
In the first period, the Blues should have benefited from at least three penalties, if one is chauvinistic, and one with certainty, if one is objective. Instead, Mateu Lahoz did not flinch, not even when Kylian Mbappé was ostensibly pushed into the penalty area by George Baldock (27th). A gesture that the entire Stade de France, sold out on Monday, saw. Except the match referee.
It took Antoine Griezmann to get his face banged up in the middle of the box by Konstantinos Mavropanos for Mateu Lahoz to finally designate the penalty spot (49th). After the Lahoz show, it was the turn of the Mavropanos show. Entering the area irregularly at the time of Mbappé’s run-up on the penalty he had caused, and missed on a parade by Vlachomidos, the Greek defender offered the captain of the Blues a new attempt.
The second penalty from Mbappé, who chose to change sides, this time left no chance for the Greek goalkeeper (55th). Miraculous on his foul on Griezmann, where he did not collect a red card, Mavropanos then broke Randal Kolo Muani who went alone on goal (69th). Exclusion was inevitable this time and the Greeks therefore finished the match ten against eleven.
A lack of realism at the end of the match
Overall serious, the Blues showed more involvement than against Gibraltar three days ago (3-0), despite a slight air pocket in the middle of the first period. Eduardo Camavinga was very good, Kingsley Coman and Ousmane Dembélé took turns on the right and the central hinge was impeccable. But the French team missed this long-awaited goal in the game. In two games, the Blues only scored one, that of Olivier Giroud after three minutes of play against Gibraltar.
This goal almost arrived in the last minutes, especially on Mbappé’s service for Dembélé, who missed a few centimeters to conclude (87th), or on this attempt by the French captain (90th + 5). The tricolor supporters also had to wonder how the five tricolors left alone to attack the Greek goal failed to score.
After fourteen minutes of additional time – Mateu Lahoz may have wanted to prolong the pleasure and delay the players’ departure on vacation -, the Blues won a victory which allows them to take a six-point lead over Greece in the lead. of Group B, while Ireland beat Gibraltar (3-0) in the other game of the evening. The Tricolores are on track to qualify for Euro 2024. But before resuming the playoffs at the start of the school year, they will be able to rest with a clear mind.