France Struggles to Score Goals, Scrape Past Portugal in Euro 2024 Quarterfinals
In a tightly contested Euro 2024 quarterfinal match, France edged past Portugal on penalties after a goalless draw. The pre-tournament favorites, France, were once again lacking in the final third, failing to find the back of the net during the 120 minutes of play.
Speaking after the match, France manager Didier Deschamps acknowledged that his team needs to start scoring goals if they are to win the Euro 2024 title. “We need to score more goals,” Deschamps said. “When you score more goals, you can manage things. [Otherwise] we are at the mercy of our opponent.”
Despite reaching the semi-finals, Deschamps admitted that France’s performance was not perfect. “We have reached the semi-finals and that is an achievement, even if people expect us to. For me it is pride in my players, even though not everything has been done perfectly.”
The match was a tight affair, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances. Kylian Mbappé, the star of the French team, was off-form and was substituted midway through extra time due to fatigue. Deschamps praised the efforts of goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who made several important saves to take the game to penalties.
On the other side, Portugal manager Roberto Martínez felt that his team deserved to win the match. “We had the best chances of the game, and I think 11 corners to four, so I would say we deserve to win,” Martínez said. “But we are talking about the best tournament and players in Europe.”
The victory for France sets up a mouthwatering semi-final clash against Spain in Munich. The reigning world champions will need to find their scoring touch if they are to overcome the formidable Spanish side and advance to the final of Euro 2024.
🔗 Source