Euro 2024: France draws 1-1 with Poland after Mbappe, Lewandowski score penalties
In a captivating Euro 2024 Group D showdown, France and Poland played out a compelling 1-1 draw on Tuesday, highlighted by penalties from Kylian Mbappe and Robert Lewandowski.
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FollowIn a contest marking the return of Kylian Mbappe, who had suffered a broken nose in France's opening Euro 2024 clash, Les Bleus and Poland battled to a 1-1 draw at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, in their Group D encounter on Tuesday night. The match, played in front of a packed crowd, saw both sides exchange penalty goals, with Mbappe and Robert Lewandowski finding the back of the net.
France started strong, creating the first clear chance of the match when N’Golo Kante set up Ousmane Dembele. However, Polish goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski was quick to close down the angle and make the save.
Poland responded with a dangerous header from Barcelona star Lewandowski, which narrowly missed the target, glancing past Mike Maignan’s right-hand post after a pinpoint cross from Piotr Zielinski.
Les Bleus returned from the break with renewed determination. Real Madrid's new signing Mbappe, making his return after suffering a broken nose, came close twice in the early minutes of the second half, narrowly missing the goal on both occasions.
France’s persistence paid off in the 54th minute when Dembele won a penalty after being clattered into by Jakub Kiwior. Mbappe stepped up to the spot and confidently converted the penalty, giving France the lead.
Poland continued to press and were awarded a penalty in the 79th minute when Dayot Upamecano fouled Karol Swiderski. Maignan initially saved Lewandowski’s stuttered penalty run-up, but the Barcelona striker was given a retake. The former Bayern Munich legend made no mistake the second time, equalizing for Poland and securing a crucial point.
The draw means France finishes second in Group D behind Austria, who stunned Netherlands with a 3-2 win in their thrilling encounter. Despite the disappointment of not securing the top spot, Didier Deschamps' side will take positives from Mbappe's return to form and their overall performance as they prepare for the knockout stages.
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