Match report
Robert Lewandowski equalised from the spot as Poland held France to a 1-1 draw in their final group-stage match of the Euro 2024, at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund on Tuesday.
June 25, 2024 23:26
FULL-TIME
Full Time!
France finishes second in the group after the draw while Austria topped the group after a stunning 3-2 win over Netherlands.
90+3’
France gets the free-kick which Griezmann takes. The balls falls for Upamecano, who fails to make the best of it as the ball goes out for a goal kick.
90+3’
Poland is looking desperate to play out the game, with a point assured and a goal for Lewandowski in his first and final start of Euro 2024.
How does the points table look at the moment?
Take a look at the live standings from Group D during the France vs Poland and Netherlands vs Austria matches.
88’
Lewandowski tries to clear the ball and almost hits Mbappe on his broken nose. The issue ends with the play continuing while the Frenchman looks in good shape to go on.
85’ Chance for France!
Giroud gets the ball right in front of goal but his shot is too high as it goes over the net to the relief of the Polish fans, who are expecting to go home at least with a solitary point.
84’
Poland is increasing its pressure on France, with Zielinski’s cross, after a clearance is hit on the volley by Poland, which is again stopped by the French defence.
79’ Lewandowski equalises!
The referee asks Lewandowski to take the penalty again as the goalkeeper was off his line and this time, the striker finds the net despite Maignan jumping to the correct side.
77’ Missed penalty!
Lewandowski takes the penalty and Maignan saves it. The referee, however, asks the penalty to be taken again.
Poland’s Robert Lewandowski scored from the penalty spot after having his first attempt saved by Mike Maignan in the Euro 2024 Group D match being played at the BVB Stadion Dortmund.
76’ Penalty to Poland!
Lewandowski passes the ball to Swiderski, who goes down after a push from Upamecano. The referee, after a VAR check, awards a penalty to Poland.
72’
Lewandowski wins the ball in front of the box and goes solo with a strike which is just wide. And his attempt is greeted with loud cheers from the Polish fans, who have come to see their highest goalscorer find the net, despite the team out of the tournament.
69’
Lewandowski tries to get a touch on the loose ball but his high boot catches Tchouameni as the referee stops play for a France free-kick.
66’
Kounde gets the ball along the right and he passes to Griezmann, who goes for goal instead of passing to Giroud, but his shot fails to trouble the keeper at all.
64’
Dembele gets the ball in his own half and then sprints into the final third along the right flank and then tries a cross, which is too high as Mbappe, almost with his hand in the air, fails to get it.
61’ Triple change for France!
In: Eduardo Camavinga, Antoinne Griezmann, Olivier Giroud
Out: N’Golo Kante, Adrian Rabiot, Bradley Barcola
59’ Another chance for France!
France looks to be flying at the moment. Barcola marches up the pitch, cuts to his right, shifts to his left and then right and shoots on target, forcing a save by Skorupski.
56’ Mbappe scores for France!
Mbappe steps up to take the penalty and sends Skorupski the other side as his hot rattles the net. France is ahead and Mbappe has his first goal in the European Championship.
This is the France captain’s first-ever goal in the Euros. Mbappe did feature in the Euro 2020 edition but failed to find the net in its four games since it was knocked out in the Round of 16.
55’
Kiwior tries to get the ball off Dembele along the edge of the box and goes down after a late challenge by the Pole, giving France a penalty.
53’
France looks to be warming up quite a set of its substitutes, with Camavinga, Mendy and Giroud gearing up in case Deschamps calls them for first-team action against Poland.
49’ Chance for Mbappe!
Mbappe gets the ball in front of the penalty box and goes for goal. But his shot is just off-target which means he would have to wait more to find his first goal in the Euros.
Second half begins!
France starts the second half right when it ended the first half, on an offensive note.
June 25, 2024 22:19
HALFTIME
All square at the break!
Despite France coming close to scoring multiple times, it fails to breach the final line of defence, with the score remaining 0-0 at half-time at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund.
45+2’
France gets a free-kick outside the penalty box, with Dembele taking it. However, Skorupski continues to be France’s Achilles heel, with a timely push of the ball out of danger.
45’ France raining attacks!
Mbappe makes a run into the box again and this time, in an one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, tries a right-footed shot past him. However, Skorupski comes out on top yet again.
44’ Chance for France!
Mbappe and Theo combine along the left, with the latter crossing right in front of goal. But Zalewski is there to do his defensive duties as he clears the ball out of danger.
42’ Chance for France!
Barcola sets up Mbappe in front of goal, whose shot is saved by a fingertip save by Skorupski. What a save by the goalie, who has been absolutely brilliant in this match so far.
40’
Rabio sets up Mbappe at the edge of the box, who initially controls the ball but later goes down appealing for a penalty. The referee, however, asks him to get up.
37’
Dembele takes control of the ball along the right and passes it to Kante, who almost serves the shot on a plate for Tchouameni to strike, but his shot goes out off a deflection for a corner. Seconds later, Saliba tries a shot, which flies over the net.
33’
Zalewski and Szymanski pair up to get the ball into the box but France clears it only as far as the midfield. And seconds later, Lewandowski is set up in the box with a cross from the left but his header, off a slight deflection off Saliba, goes out of play, just off-target.
The referee, surprisingly, gives a goal kick to France.
32’
Mbappe gets the ball along the left but is firmly marked by Zielinski as he looses control of the ball.
28’
The match stalls for a minute as the referee indicates a water break due to high temperatures in and around the stadium. However, match resumes quickly.
26’
Dembele takes a corner kick, which lands safely into the ands of Skorupski, who staves off yet another attack by Les Blues. He has been impressive in his maiden start in Euro 2024.
23’ Chance for Poland!
Poland gets the ball into the final third, with Zalewski trying a cross for Lewandowski in front of goal. However, Saliba outjumps the Barca forward to get the ball out of danger.
23’
France is eventually looking frustrated, having not been successful to open the scoring in this match, despite coming close twice. Dembele, meanwhile, pushes a midfielder down for a Poland free-kick.
19’ Chance for France!
France attacks on the counter with Kante sprinting into the final third and passing to Dembele on his right. Dembele’s shot is saved and the ball gets back to Kante, whose pass now fails to find anybody as the ball goes out for a goal-kick.
18’
It is interesting to know that France has not scored a goal from its own players so far in the tournament, the only team to do so. It has won one match, off an own goal by Austria.
17’
Zalewski gets the ball along the left and tries to cross to his right, into the centre, which is blocked by Kounde.
14’ Chance for Poland!
Szymanski takes the corner kick, which falls to Urbanski in the box. The left-footed hit by the No. 26 is saved by Maignan, who gets into a duel with Lewandowski while trying to clear the ball.
Did you know?
This is the third meeting between France and Poland in a major tournament, and first at the UEFA European Championship. Poland won a third place play-off match 3-2 at the 1982 FIFA World Cup, while France won 3-1 in the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup. (Source: Opta)
11’ Chance for France!
Dembele gets the ball int the right and delivers a late cross to his left, which is missed by the Polish defence. Theo takes a shot from the left, which is saved by Skorupski.
11’
Poland has come into the match with a lot more aggression than it has shown in the tournament so far, naturally, with Lewandowski leading the charge in the front.
8’
Dembele makes a circular run along the right to find a space in the box, but his low cross runs into one of the red shirts in the Poland box, who hoofs the ball away.
6’ Save!
Poland marches up the pitch with one touch passes and, after a block by Saliba, Zelinski takes a shot from outside the box, forcing a save by Maignan.
4’
Barcola gets the ball on the left of the 18 yard box and tries a cross which is blocked by Moder for a France corner. Dembele takes the corner, which Upamecano could not reach as he was heavily marked.
3’
Kounde gets the ball along the left and is challenged by Zalewski, with the latter getting the ball eventually. And France coach Deschamps is furious.
2’
The match begins with France looking for an attack straight away. But Poland, with a closely-knit midfield, stops the build-up.
In different shades!
Lewandowski and Mbappe hugs each other before kick-off - a moment to look back on when Bayern played Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. It was Lewandowski who had reigned supreme then. Who will it be this time?
Minutes to kick off!
The players of both sides walk out of the tunnel. France, led by Mbappe, is in blue while Poland, led by Lewandowski, starts in red. The players stand shoulder to shoulder as the air around the stadium turns red with flares from Polish fans.
A veteran missing in Poland’s line-up?
Poland will look to finish its Euro 2024 campaign on a high when it plays France in its final group stage match, at the Signal Idunal Park in Dortmund, Germany on Tuesday.
Mbappe features in mask, this time in the starting line-up!
Kylian Mbappe suffered a broken nose during France’s 1-0 win against Austria in Euro 2024 and hence will wear a protective mask for the remainder the tournament.
Poland Starting XI:
Skorupski; Bednarek, Dawidowicz, Kiwior; Frankowski, Zielinski, Moder, Urbański, Zalewski, Szymański; Lewandowski
France Starting XI:
Maignan; Upamecano, Kounde, Saliba, Hernandez; Kante, Tchouameni; Barcola, Rabiot, Dembele; Mbappe
MATCH PREVIEW
France will try to finally get the goals flowing against already-eliminated Poland as it seeks to finish top of its Euro 2024 group on Tuesday, but questions remain about the availability of key forward Kylian Mbappe.
The striker - who broke his nose in France’s opener against Austria - donned a mask to take part in a practice match on Saturday against the under-21 side of German club Paderborn in which he scored twice and set up two other goals.
France has so far failed to find the net in Germany - it beat Austria in its opener courtesy of an own goal and drew 0-0 with the Netherlands - so coach Didier Deschamps will be tempted to bring Mbappe back against Poland.
Read the full preview here: France needs goals against Poland, with or without Mbappe
