Kounde, France start Euro 2024 with narrow win over Austria

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Austria v France: Group D - UEFA EURO 2024

A difficult victory for the tournament favorites

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde and France are off to a winning start to Euro 2024 as the tournament favorites beat Austria 1-0 in their Group D opener in Düsseldorf on Monday.





The first half was not easy for Les Bleus, who suffered with Austria’s high press and fast-paced attacks and struggled to get any rhythm to their passing. Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé tried to create magic through the middle, but with very little help around them the two French superstars had a lot of trouble giving the Austrians a real test at the back.


Austria then created and missed a huge chance through Christoph Baumgartner, which was punished just a couple of minutes later with an unlikely goal for the French as Mbappé’s attempted cross hit the head of Maximilian Wöber and went into the net to put France ahead.


The halftime whistle came shortly after, with France ahead but not playing well and still needing another goal to feel safe about a victory in their opener.


France had a huge chance to pretty much wrap up the win 10 minutes into the period when Mbappé was played through on goal one-on-one with the keeper, but he somehow missed the target completely. The French missed other opportunities, including a Kounde shot that was on target but blocked inside the six-yard box, but they still only had the one-goal lead as we reached the final 15 minutes.


The latter stages of the game took quite the dramatic turn thanks to loads of stoppages — including one for an ugly-looking Mbappé nose fracture — and poor officiating and time management by infamous La Liga referee Jesús Gil Manzano, while Austria continued to compete with great intensity looking to rescue an unlikely point at the death.


Austria tried until the very end but couldn’t create one last chance, and the final whistle came to give the French a victory they might not have fully deserved but will definitely take. France always start tournaments slow so this poor performance and low-scoring victory will surprise no one, and Les Bleus remain strong favorites no matter what.

Source - www.barcablaugranes.com