In Munich, in front of 15 thousand spectators, in the European debut of two of the candidates for the final victory of Euro 2020, France beats Germany 1-0. The very tight match was decided by a Hummels own goal despite the great strikers on the pitch on both sides and the many wasted opportunities, with two goals canceled by Mbappè and Benzema against France and a penalty not granted to the transalpine number 10. After the clear success of Portugal with Hungary, the situation of Loew’s team in the group is already complicated.
For the occasion Deschamps resolves the only training doubt by preferring Rabiot to Tolisso in midfield while Griezmann plays in front behind the recovered Benzema and Mbappé. On the other side Loew plays it safe by putting Ginter and Rudiger alongside Hummels in defense and confirms Gundogan. In front of the fake center forward is Gnabry. France went ahead in the first half with minimal effort, despite two chances with Pogba and Mbappè, thanks to Hummels ‘own goal in the 20’, but it is still to be appreciated the action with Pogba who throws Hernandez into the area on the left. strong and tense crosses in the middle for Mbappé, anticipated by Hummels who touches badly with his right foot and sticks the ball into his own goal, to the right of Neuer.
In the second half France dangerous in the 52nd minute with Pogba throwing Rabiot into the area on the left but hitting the outside wood to the right of Neuer. At 54 ‘Germany responds: cross from the left by Gosens for Gnabry who kicks with a right wing diagonally but the ball, crushed to the ground, rears up and just flies over the crossbar. Loew’s team looks for an equal but it turns out and in the 66th minute the goal is canceled against France: throw on the left for Mbappè who jumps in dribbling Kimmich, enters the area and with a magnificent right turn sends the ball to kiss the opposite post and then on the net but the game was stopped due to offside of the PSG striker on the launch of Pogba. At 78 ‘Mbappè impressive progression on a vertical throw, the number 10 overtakes Hummels who, however, with a prodigious slip in recovery removes the ball from the feet of the French attacker, ready to kick in the area.
The PSG striker asks for the penalty but the referee and the Var are not of the same opinion. Germany is home to intensity and Deschamps’s team takes the field again and in the 85th minute they score again: launch on the counterattack for Mbappé who goes off the edge of the offside on the right and hits in the middle for Benzema who bags comfortably in the net with his right, but after the Var check this network is also canceled. Germany tries until the end to look for an equal but without success, France starts this European with three points.