France vs Netherlands: A tactical goalless quest
"It was a beautiful game, a technical game, there was some magic," France head coach Didier Deschamps said after the match.
On Friday night, football fans were treated to another dose of exciting drama at Euro 2024. France faced the Netherlands in a match that was a true tactical quest for both teams. The French played without their main star, Kylian Mbappe, while the Netherlands struggled to find ways to win the playoffs.
First half: Technical game without goals
The first half turned out to be extremely intense, but fruitless in terms of goals. France, known for their attacking prowess, struggled to adapt to playing without Mbappe. Antoine Griezmann became the main conductor of attacks, constantly changing positions and creating danger for the opponent.
"We had to adapt to the new conditions, and it was not easy," said Griezmann.
On the other hand, the Netherlands, under the leadership of Ronald Koeman, chose a defensive tactic of 5-4-1, trying to block all possible routes to their goal. Jeremy Frimpong stood out, breaking several times down the right flank and creating dangerous opportunities.
Second half: Weghorst adds tension
In the second half, the French continued to dominate possession, but their advantage did not lead to real threats to the opponent's goal. N'Golo Kante was a key figure in midfield, linking defense and attack.
"Kante is the heart of our team. His performance today was at the highest level," said Deschamps.
The Netherlands, realizing that you cannot win with defense alone, switched to high pressing. Weghorst, who came on as a substitute, added freshness to the attacks and created additional pressure on the French defense.
Analysis and conclusions
The match ended 0-0, which was the first goalless draw at Euro 2024. For the Netherlands, this result was quite acceptable, because they were able to stop one of the strongest teams of the tournament. France, on the other hand, suffered disappointment, showing that without Mbappe it is difficult for them to find a way to the opponent's goal.
"This match showed our weaknesses and we have to work on them," Deschamps concluded.
In the end, both teams demonstrated a high level of technical football, but none of them could realize their chances. There is still a lot of work to do and the next matches will show whether these teams can correct their mistakes and continue to fight for the title.
Editor: Emilia Morozova
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