Already a match point for the Blues, who will have to negotiate the shock of their Euro 2024 group stage to assume their status and ensure their qualification. This Friday, the France team faces the Netherlands for its second match in the European Championship. A victory against the Oranje, and qualification for the round of 16 of the competition would already be assured for Didier Deschamps’ men.
An hour before the match kicks off (9 p.m.), the Blues will already know if they can hope to lock first place in Group D depending on the result of Poland-Austria (6 p.m.). Indeed, for France to be assured of finishing on top, it would be necessary for them to beat the Netherlands, and for Poland, the Blues’ third and final opponent, not to beat Austria.
Currently, France (3 pts) is second behind the Netherlands (3 pts) due to a greater number of goals scored in the first meeting. With six points and a victory against the Batavians, they would at least ensure that they could not be overtaken either by their opponents in the evening, nor by Austria (even if they were to win against Poland) because the teams are decided in priority on the particular points difference in the event of a tie in the ranking. If Poland wins, on the other hand, against Austria then beats the Blues (Tuesday at 6 p.m.), it is they who will finish first in the group in the name of this same particular difference in points.
If France finishes first in its group, it will play its round of 16 on July 2 in Leipzig against the 2nd in group F (Turkey, Georgia, Portugal, Czechia). In the event of second place, it would also face a runner-up: that of group E (Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine), on July 1 in Düsseldorf.
