DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Kylian Mbappé made a dramatic return to the European Championship today, sporting a protective mask to shield his broken nose and marking the occasion with a penalty goal against Poland. However, his effort wasn’t enough to secure a victory for France, as the match concluded in a 1-1 draw, highlighting the challenges Les Bleus are facing at Euro 2024.
Mbappé, in a moment of celebration, removed his black mask after converting a penalty in the 56th minute, delighting the French supporters. Yet, Poland responded resiliently, with Robert Lewandowski equalizing from the penalty spot in the 79th minute. Lewandowski’s penalty itself was a moment of high drama, requiring a retake. This draw meant France finished as runners-up in Group D to Austria. This result also places France in a daunting position in the tournament bracket, in the same half as powerhouses Portugal led by Cristiano Ronaldo, host nation Germany, and Spain – three of the continent’s footballing giants.
Image alt text: French forward Kylian Mbappe removes his mask to celebrate scoring a penalty kick against Poland during the Euro 2024 match, showcasing his return to the tournament after a nose injury.
Simultaneously, Austria delivered a strong performance, defeating the Netherlands 3-2 in their Group D match. For France, this game against Poland further emphasized a concerning trend: they are yet to score a goal from open play at Euro 2024. Their previous 1-0 victory against Austria was secured through an own goal, and they followed that with a goalless draw against the Netherlands, a match where Mbappé was absent due to his nose injury sustained against Austria.
Despite advancing to the knockout stage, France’s performances have been far from convincing for a team of their caliber. France coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, “I would be a lot more concerned if there were no chances, but obviously there is a little bit of room for improvement. Maybe there are other teams who have given off something a bit different, but the fact we haven’t scored limits our performance. We are here where we want to be.” His comments reflect both reassurance and an admission of the team’s offensive struggles.
Mbappé’s return to the starting lineup against Poland, who were already eliminated from Euro 2024, was highly anticipated. However, it was evident that the black mask, while allowing him to play, did impact his game, particularly his peripheral vision. Throughout the match, Mbappé appeared to avoid overly physical duels and aerial challenges, often positioning himself on the edge of the penalty area, waiting for opportunities to come to him rather than actively seeking them out in the usual dynamic fashion fans are accustomed to.
Image alt text: France’s Kylian Mbappe wearing a black protective mask looks focused during the Euro 2024 Group D match against Poland, highlighting the visual adjustment he had to make due to his injury.
Deschamps noted the challenges Mbappé faced, commenting, “I thought he was quite good on his feet with the mask — he needed to get used to it. But when he sweats, that sticks in his eyes and he needed to wipe his eyes.” Despite these difficulties, Mbappé remained France’s most potent attacking threat and finally broke his tournament goal drought, scoring his first goal in his sixth European Championship match. The penalty was awarded after Ousmane Dembele was fouled in the box. This goal marked Mbappé’s 48th for the French national team, adding to his impressive tally.
Mbappé completed the full match, starting centrally before shifting to the left wing, in what was another lackluster overall team performance from France. As a two-time European champion and the 2022 World Cup runner-up, higher standards are expected. France now faces a challenging path in the round of 16 against the runner-up from Group E, which could be Belgium, Romania, Slovakia, or Ukraine. The road ahead will become significantly tougher as they progress further in the tournament.
While France moves on, Poland’s Euro 2024 journey concludes. In what is likely his final appearance at a European Championship, the 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski managed to leave his mark with a goal. His penalty against France was not without its own drama. Lewandowski’s first attempt was saved by French goalkeeper Mike Maignan, but the save was disallowed as Maignan was judged to have moved off his goal line prematurely. Given a second chance, Lewandowski employed the same stutter-step approach and successfully placed the ball into the bottom corner, despite Maignan diving correctly this time. This goal was Lewandowski’s 83rd international goal, a testament to his enduring quality. Interestingly, a similar scenario unfolded at the World Cup against France, where Lewandowski also scored on a penalty retake against Hugo Lloris after encroachment.
Image alt text: Polish striker Robert Lewandowski successfully converts his penalty kick for Poland’s first goal against France in their Euro 2024 match, marking a significant moment in his final European Championship appearance.
The France vs Poland match, ending in a 1-1 draw, provided today’s Euro scores with drama and talking points, particularly around France’s underwhelming performance and Mbappé’s masked return. Football fans will be keenly watching to see if France can overcome their offensive struggles as they head into the knockout stages of Euro 2024.
AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024
