Maximilian Woeber’s personal aim was sufficient to provide France a profitable begin to their Euro 2024 marketing campaign on Monday as they edged Austria 1-0 of their opening sport however Kylian Mbappe got here off late on with a bloodied nostril. Woeber diverted Mbappe’s cutback into his personal web seven minutes earlier than half-time in Duesseldorf to permit the French, one of many main contenders to win the event, to come back by means of a stiff check. Austria have been much-improved underneath Ralf Rangnick and their urgent sport usually made life uncomfortable for the 2022 World Cup runners-up, who noticed Mbappe depart the sector close to the top after being damage in a collision. He had earlier didn’t convert a wonderful likelihood that will have allowed France to win by a wider margin.

Whereas Les Bleus weren’t at their finest, they are going to be relieved to have emerged victorious from the sport after a build-up overshadowed by discuss of politics relatively than soccer.

Mbappe and different French gamers had spent a lot of their time earlier than the media in current days answering questions on upcoming elections within the nation which might see the far-right Nationwide Rally develop into the most important social gathering.

Any slip-up right here would have led to recommendations their minds had not been totally targeted on the competitors, as France goal to develop into European champions for the third time, and first since 2000.

As a substitute, the outcome leaves Didier Deschamps’ staff stage on three factors in Group D with the Netherlands, who defeated Poland 2-1 in Hamburg on Sunday.

France and the Netherlands meet subsequent in Leipzig on Friday, whereas Austria face Poland earlier the identical day in Berlin.

Austria had loved some spectacular outcomes coming into the event on a seven-game unbeaten run and their staff is on acquainted floor throughout these Euros — their coach Rangnick is from Germany and eight of their beginning line-up performed within the German Bundesliga final season.

The French, nevertheless, are arguably essentially the most gifted staff on the event, led by their captain Mbappe.

He endured a depressing time at his solely earlier Euros three years in the past, failing to attain and lacking the decisive penalty in a shoot-out defeat by Switzerland within the final 16.

The brand new Actual Madrid signing will marvel how he didn’t rating on this sport, along with his first massive alternative arriving inside eight minutes.

Antoine Griezmann and Theo Hernandez mixed to launch Mbappe, who lower in from the left as he likes to do and formed to curve a shot into the far nook earlier than as a substitute aiming for the close to put up.

Nevertheless, Austria goalkeeper Patrick Pentz was capable of make the save.

The Austrians settled into the competition and handed up a beautiful likelihood of their very own to go forward on 36 minutes.

Skipper Marcel Sabitzer touched down a Michael Gregoritsch cross from the left for Christoph Baumgartner, however he was foiled by goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

That proved essential as France went forward two minutes later.

Ousmane Dembele gave the ball to Mbappe on the best, and he produced a stepover to get to the byline earlier than his cutback was nodded into the far nook of his personal web by the unlucky Woeber.

Mbappe was then thwarted by Pentz as he tried to go across the goalkeeper in first-half stoppage time, however that was nothing in comparison with the possibility he squandered 10 minutes after the restart.

Adrien Rabiot despatched Mbappe away, bounding in behind the Austrian defence, however he by some means put his shot extensive with simply the goalkeeper to beat.

That left the sport within the stability, and Austria continued to push for a leveller, however with out success.

Their followers have been lower than impressed by what they perceived as timewasting late on from Mbappe, who wanted remedy after colliding with Kevin Danso within the field.

He left the pitch along with his shirt stained by blood, solely to then come again on and sit down, incomes himself a yellow card earlier than being changed by Olivier Giroud.

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