Mbappe Scores First Euros Goal as France Secures Second Place in Group

France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring during the Euro 2024 match against Poland.

France needed a win to secure the top spot in Group D, but Robert Lewandowski's 79th-minute penalty nullified Kylian Mbappe's spot-kick in the 56th minute of the second half.

Meanwhile, Ralf Rangnick's Austria delivered an impressive performance, defeating the Netherlands 3-2 to claim the group's top position, while the Dutch settled for third place.

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As the runner-up in Group E, Didier Deschamps' team now awaits their next opponent, joining the same bracket as Portugal, Spain, and Germany.

Making his return to the starting lineup with a protective mask after recovering from a broken nose, Mbappe finally broke his goal drought in the European Championships with the opening goal. Ousmane Dembele was fouled in the box by Poland's Jakub Kiwior, and Mbappe successfully converted the penalty.

However, France lost momentum, and a clumsy challenge from Dayot Upamecano resulted in a penalty for Lewandowski, who seized the opportunity to score his fourth goal in European Championships history after Mike Maignan's initial save was nullified due to encroachment.

France struggling to hit top form

Thousands of blue-clad fans packed into a sweltering Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund finally witnessed a French goal when Mbappe found the net in the 56th minute. Celebrating his 48th international goal, Mbappe ripped off his protective mask, suggesting France would cruise to the top of Group D under Deschamps' guidance. However, Poland, set to depart after finishing bottom of the group, had other plans, surprising the 2022 World Cup finalists.

Upamecano, who had a less prominent role for Bayern Munich this season, committed a defensive error with a clumsy tackle on Karol Swiderski, conceding the penalty equalizer. Lewandowski initially scuffed his penalty, which Maignan saved, only for a retake due to the goalkeeper stepping off his line early, with the second attempt finding the same corner.

Despite dominating possession with 58% and firing 19 shots on goal, France struggled to create clear-cut chances for a victory.

Poland's Lukasz Skorupski excelled in goal, leaving Deschamps' squad to enter the knockout stage with only two goals to their credit—one of them an own goal—in their three group matches. While Mbappe, nearing Michel Platini's French record of 14 goals in major tournaments, remains a pivotal figure, France will need increased attacking contributions to advance. Dembele showed flashes of promise on the right flank but is yet to score in a major tournament for his country.

Deschamps faces the task of quickly rejuvenating his team's form if they aim to progress deep into the tournament in Germany.

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