10th and final day of these qualifications for Euro 2024. Traveling to the Agia Sophia, AEK Athens’ usual lair, the France team presented itself without any pressure. Qualification has already been assured since last month, first place is secure, as is the protected top seed status. After the record score of 14-0 against Gibraltar on Saturday evening, and undoubtedly warned by the injury of Zaire-Emery, Didier Deschamps decided to rotate a large part of his team. He started Samba in goal, Koundé, Saliba and the two Hernandez behind, Fofana to accompany Rabiot and left the offensive organization to Griezmann, supported by a trio of Dembélé-Giroud-Kolo Muani.
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We found the Tricolores as we had left them in Nice, very enterprising, the vast domination and success in front of goal minus all the same. This dynamic start to the match was not rewarded, like these two attempts by Dembélé (10th) and especially Griezmann (15th), who even hit the post (33rd). Omnipresent on the field, the Colochonero once again offered a very good score, always very serious in the defensive withdrawal and effective in his choices. All that was missing was a small goal to reward a serious first half. He ended up arriving when we were no longer expecting him, just before the break. Giroud deflected a ball from Fofana towards Kolo Muani, who deceived Vlachodimos with a powerful shot from a tight angle under the bar (0-1, 42nd).
No 10/10 for the Blues
The Parisian’s second goal for the French team (after Morocco in the World Cup) allowed his partners to return to the locker room with a goal in advance but we must believe that the break did more harm than good. The Greeks returned with other intentions, much more aggressive on the ball carrier and much more dangerous against the French who had not really returned from the break. Small errors accumulated like this mistake from Fofana (55th) and this ball conceded by Lucas Hernandez, which allowed Bakasetas to launch a magnificent recovery which left Samba no chance (1-1, 56th). Kolo Muani’s opportunity could have put the Blues back on track (60th) but the opposite happened.
In the process, Giannoulis escaped down the left side, managed to eliminate Koundé too easily and crossed for the sole of Ioannidis’ perfect foot (2-1, 61st). These two goals conceded in a few moments forced the coach to make a triple change with the entry of Mbappé in particular, but also Coman and Clauss. Like a breath of fresh air, the French team moved forward again and even confirmed its domination, although it was not yet complete, thanks to a perfect shot from Fofana (2-2, 75th). The danger became clearer in this last quarter of an hour. Rabiot and Marcus Thuram struggled to reach the conclusion (84th), while Coman’s cross resulted in a deflection off his own post from Vlachodimos (89th), who repelled this last shot from Mbappé (90th+4). There will be no 10/10.
