France scores late winner against Belgium in gritty victory to reach Euro 2024 quarterfinals
With five minutes remaining of normal time, Randal Kolo Muani’s effort deflected off helpless Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen to secure France’s win.
It was a tight affair at the Düsseldorf Arena, with little to separate the two sides, with French superstar Kylian Mbappé – once gain playing in a mask for the broken nose he suffered earlier in the tournament – often on the periphery on the game.
Both Belgium and France haven’t quite hit their their stride at Euro 2024 and Monday’s game followed a similar pattern, with just a few chances and defenses on top – until Vertonghen reacted slowly to Kolo Muani’s shot.
France will now face either Portugal and Slovenia in the quarterfinals, with those two teams playing later on Monday in Frankfurt.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Despite France's victory, football fanatics in the stands remained hopeful, eagerly anticipating their team's next sporting encounter. The Belgian team, too, showed promising potential in their football matches, showcasing their skills on the field.
