France Begins Euro 2024 Campaign with Narrow Victory Over Austria

France kicked off their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Austria in Düsseldorf.

The match started with both teams showing determination and quality on the field. France, coming off a dominant qualification campaign, was considered one of the favorites for the title.

Their star player, Kylian Mbappé, was at the forefront of their attacking threat, forcing Austria’s goalkeeper, Patrick Pentz, to make a vital save early in the game.

Despite a strong start from France, Austria managed to find their footing in the game as the first half progressed. Austria had a golden opportunity to take the lead when Christoph Baumgartner had a close-range effort expertly saved by the French goalkeeper, Mike Maignan.

However, it was a moment of misfortune for Austria as Mbappé’s delivery into the box was inadvertently glanced into his own net by Maximilian Wöber, giving France the lead.

The second half saw France continue their attacking momentum, with Mbappé missing a clear one-on-one chance to double their lead. Despite Austria’s resilient defense, France kept pushing forward, creating chances and testing Pentz in goal.

The Austrian team, led by Ralf Rangnick, tried to find an equalizer in the latter stages of the match but could not convert their opportunities.

As the final whistle blew, France emerged victorious, maintaining their dominance over Austria with an eighth win in their last 11 meetings.

While Austria will take positives from their performance, they will look to bounce back in their upcoming match against Poland. The defeat, their first since October, will serve as a learning experience as they aim to make an impact in the rest of the tournament.