Euro 2024: Netherlands and France play out a draw
Netherlands 0 - 0 France
The Netherlands and France played to a stalemate in Leipzig, leaving both teams level on four points at the top of Group D.
The group remains wide open heading into the final matchday, with little to separate the Netherlands and France.
Defenders took centre stage in this encounter, with Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk standing out as he effectively neutralised France's formidable attacking threats.
The 1988 champions almost took the lead within the first minute, as Jeremie Frimpong displayed blistering speed to latch onto a through ball, only to have his shot turned away by France's goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
France's captain Antoine Griezmann appeared poised to break the deadlock in the 15th minute after Adrien Rabiot set him up perfectly close to goal, but he failed to control the ball in time. Griezmann also curled a shot wide shortly after.
Marcus Thuram then breached the Dutch offside trap to chase down a superb pass from Jules Koundé, but his effort went over the bar from a tight angle, leaving the first half goalless.
The second half saw little action in front of goal until Thuram found space, but the 26-year-old pulled his shot wide.
Euro 2024: France hold out against Austria
Euro 2024: A former Man United player was the hero for Netherlands
France struggled without Mbappe
French fans might have feared the worst when their star player Mbappe was not named in the starting line-up, despite training with a protective mask on Thursday. There had been hopes he might play a part, but he was ultimately listed among the substitutes.
France had not won any of their previous six matches without Mbappe, casting doubt before kick-off, and Griezmann's missed chances did little to improve their prospects. The Atlético Madrid forward, frustrated with his performance against Austria in the last match, was more involved this time but still failed to find the net on multiple occasions.
Despite the lack of attacking threat from his team, France manager Didier Deschamps chose not to risk bringing on their star player as a late substitute, realizing the importance of preserving him for future crucial matches.
Dutch fans create an amazing atmosphere
Netherlands Supporters have already provided some of the best moments at Euro 2024. Check out the amazing that they created before this match with France. They have made a lot of friends with their hosts in Germany.
The Dutch fans have arrived in Leipzig! 🟠🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/1rM6w5ePzz
— Euro 24 Hub (@Euro24Hub) June 21, 2024
The best reaction
Paul, a Crystal Palace fan, provided some interesting tactical analysis of the match. He said: "This was a fascinating match to watch as a neutral. The Netherlands faced a challenge when Wout Weghorst entered the game because the team was playing deep in their own half. It was difficult to advance him up the field and into the attacking zone. As a result, the Netherlands ended up dropping back so far that it became almost impossible to mount an attack against France."
Julian Thomas, a French football fan, said: "It is not beneficial for France when the game is played at such a fast pace. Their strategy was to try and control the tempo. The Dutch were most dangerous in the first half in the quick transitions, with Adrien Rabiot taking too long to get back into position and Aurelien Tchouameni being isolated against Xavi Simons and Cody Gakpo. Although France controlled the game well for most of the time, the problem is that it is not very appealing."
