Max Wober’s own goal secured France a 1-0 victory over Austria in Group D. Christoph Baumgartner came close to opening the scoring for Ralf Rangnick’s side. Late in the game, Kylian Mbappe suffered an alarming injury to his nose.
France kicked off their Euro 2024 campaign with a 1-0 win over Austria in Group D, courtesy of an own goal by Max Wober. The Leeds United defender inadvertently nodded past his own goalkeeper while attempting to deal with a cross from Kylian Mbappe.
Despite securing the victory, the result was marred by an injury to Mbappe. The France forward was taken to the hospital after leaving the field with a bloodied nose following an accidental clash. “His nose is not good at all,” said Didier Deschamps.
It was later confirmed that Mbappe had broken his nose and will return to action wearing a mask. It remains unclear if he will be available for France’s next match against the Netherlands on Friday night.
Report
Austria entered the game with an impressive record, having lost only one of their previous 16 matches and showing a revitalized approach under Ralf Rangnick, characterized by their embrace of his pressing style. This strategy served them well for much of the first half, during which Christoph Baumgartner had a golden opportunity to open the scoring.
France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, however, denied Baumgartner from close range, and Austria immediately paid the price. Kylian Mbappe surged down the right flank, reaching the by-line and delivering a cross that unfortunately deflected off Max Wober and into his own net.
With the lead secured by halftime, France adjusted to play on the counter-attack in the second half, posing significant threats to Austria. Mbappe had a chance to double the advantage when he broke clear but narrowly missed the target with his shot.
Mbappe has ‘probably’ broken his nose
Mbappe played a pivotal role in setting up the only goal of the game and had a great chance to score another, but the major concern post-match was his late-game nose injury.
During an aerial challenge to head the ball into the net, Mbappe accidentally collided with an opponent’s head instead. Didier Deschamps confirmed concerns about Mbappe’s nose, stating, “Probably, yes, his nose is broken.” Deschamps expressed frustration, noting, “His nose is not in good shape at all. We will assess it. It’s obviously the downside of the evening. Even though it’s ‘just’ a nose, it’s very troublesome for us.”
Mbappe’s injury forced him to be substituted after he received a yellow card for delaying play to receive treatment. The extent of his participation in the rest of Euro 2024 remains uncertain.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – THEO HERNANDEZ (FRANCE)
Theo Hernandez stood out in Dusseldorf, overshadowing players like Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Ousmane Dembele with his stellar performance. Despite facing minimal defensive challenges, it was Hernandez’s attacking prowess that stole the spotlight.
Number 22 for France, Hernandez consistently surged forward, causing Austria significant difficulty in containing him. He created numerous scoring opportunities for his team, delivering two exquisite crosses that narrowly missed being converted into goals.
Hernandez’s dynamic display as a full-back not only showcased his defensive reliability but also highlighted his impact in driving France’s offensive efforts throughout the match. His contributions were instrumental in securing victory and earning him the accolade of Player of the Match.
Key stats
- France have never lost their opening match in a EURO final tournament group stage (W7 D3).
- Les Bleus have lost only one of their last 11 games against Austria (W8 D2).
- Only two of France’s last 29 EURO matches have finished scoreless.
- France have failed to score just once in a EURO group stage opener – against Romania in 2008 (0-0).
- Olivier Giroud became only the second player after Lilian Thuram to make an appearance in four EURO final tournaments for France.
- Austria have won only two of their last 11 EURO matches (D2 L7).
- This was just Austria’s second loss in their last 17 games overall (W12 D3).
- Das Team failed to score for the first time in 18 matches, dating back to a 2-0 UEFA Nations League defeat against France in September 2022.