Mbappé and France Advance to Euro 2024 Quarterfinals After Kolo Muani’s Late Goal Secures 1-0 Win Over Belgium

Kylian Mbappé experienced another challenging match, and France's performance at the European Championship continued to be underwhelming. Yet, France's coach Didier Deschamps remains untroubled, as his team secured a place in the quarterfinals.

“It's beautiful,” Deschamps remarked after Les Bleus relied on the ninth own-goal of Euro 2024 to narrowly defeat Belgium 1-0 in the round of 16 on Monday.

The highly anticipated clash between the neighboring heavyweights, ranked No. 2 (France) and No. 3 (Belgium), fell short of expectations. The game's only goal was fittingly atypical.

Randal Kolo Muani, brought on as a second-half substitute, made a decisive impact in the 85th minute. His shot, deflected by Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen, looped over goalkeeper Koen Casteels.

“I was lucky enough to get my shot on target,” Kolo Muani commented on his crucial play. “It was blocked but it went in. We're very, very happy and very, very proud.”

However, UEFA recorded the goal as an own-goal, contributing to a tournament already notable for such occurrences.

France has now benefited from two own-goals and a penalty by Mbappé, with no goals from open play by French players.

“Even if today that goal was enough to get us to the quarterfinals, we have the capability to score more,” Deschamps stated.

France will face either Portugal or Slovenia in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Mbappé, who continues to wear a mask to protect his broken nose from an injury against Austria, had five of France's 20 shots, but none were on target. Primarily positioned on the left wing, he was effectively contained by Belgium's defensive strategy, which included Kevin De Bruyne in a deep-lying midfield role.

De Bruyne, typically known for his creative play, had more defensive clearances than incisive passes. He was pushed further forward in the final 30 minutes, creating Belgium's best chance by setting up Yannick Carrasco, whose shot was blocked by France's Theo Hernandez.

Ultimately, it was Kolo Muani who secured the victory. His last significant moment in a major tournament was a missed opportunity in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina, where his shot was saved by Emi Martinez in the dying seconds of extra time.

France's overall performance is unlikely to quell the growing dissatisfaction among fans who believe the team's talented roster, led by Mbappé, has more to offer. Mbappé's performance came on the same day he was officially announced as a Real Madrid player.

Deschamps expressed satisfaction with his team's pragmatic approach, stating, “We were intelligent, playing the waiting game and not falling into their trap.”

This marks Mbappé's first quarterfinal appearance at the European Championship. France was eliminated in the round of 16 by Switzerland on penalties in 2021.

Belgium, on the other hand, exits Euro 2024 following a disappointing campaign. The team faced significant criticism from their fans after a goalless draw with Ukraine in the group stage.

Against France, Belgium aimed to limit the impact of France's quick attackers, employing De Bruyne in a deeper role to strengthen their defense, albeit at the expense of their offensive potential.

This strategy might have paid off if Belgium had won. Coach Domenico Tedesco reflected on the outcome, saying, “To go into detail tonight is difficult for me.”