47.
19:04
Belgium only took risks for a few minutes in the first half, which is very little going forward from the “Red Devils”. In the first half, the duo Openda/Lukaku had just 17 touches of the ball.
46.
19:03
The second half is underway and France tries straight away. A cross from Mbappé goes over the goal.
46.
19:02
Kick-off 2nd half
18:48
Half-time conclusion
It’s halftime in Düsseldorf, and there have been no goals in the match between Belgium and France. The game isn’t blowing anyone away yet, but it did get a little better towards the end of the first half. The draw is OK so far, let’s see who takes a little more of a risk in the second half.
45.
18:46
End of 1st half
45.
18:46
After the corner, Mbappé dribbles into the penalty area and serves Tchouameni, who shoots from 13 meters. The ball goes just over the bar.
45.
18:45
Extra time: 1 minute of extra time will be played.
45.
18:44
The last minute of regular time is running. France gets another corner.
43.
18:43
Griezmann wants to pass to Thuram in the penalty area. But his pass from the center is far too steep for the attacker.
41.
18:41
When things get dangerous for France, Mbappé is usually involved. This time he passes to Rabiot in the penalty area, who then passes the ball from the left to Koundé. But he tries to make things too complicated and Belgium is able to clear the situation.
39.
18:40
The game is slowly gaining momentum. Will one team manage to take the lead before half-time?
37.
18:39
Tchouameni finally plucks up the courage and takes a shot. It’s not a bad attempt, but the ball narrowly misses the Belgian goal.
34.
18:34
Hernandez is through on the left and brings the ball into the middle, where Casteels just gets to the ball before Thuram.
33.
18:34
The first really good chance of the game: a great cross from Koundé from the right and Thuram heads the ball from a few meters in the middle. But it goes just wide of the right side of the goal. Belgium takes a deep breath.
30.
18:31
Half an hour has passed in Düsseldorf and the game is now much more balanced. However, we haven’t seen any really big chances yet.
28.
18:28
And now the Belgians have space too. Carrasco is through on the right, but his pass lands in Kanté’s legs.
27.
18:27
It’s possible, you want to shout to the Belgians. It seems as if Tedesco’s team has finally arrived in the game.
26.
18:27
As soon as Belgium has the ball, things finally get dangerous. Openda is sent into the penalty area and brings the ball into the middle. Carrasco takes the shot there, but his shot is cleared by Hernandez.
24.
18:25
The next yellow card, this time it’s Rabiot. He would be suspended if the team reached the quarter-finals. This warning is also a tough decision.
24.
18:25
Yellow card for Adrien Rabiot (France)
23.
18:24
De Bruyne brings the ball with a lot of cut directly in front of the French goal. There, keeper Maignan sees the ball late and can only clear it with his foot.
23.
18:24
Yellow card for Antoine Griezmann (France)
21.
18:23
Doku moves towards the penalty area and is stopped by Griezmann. He is cautioned for this. A tough decision.
21.
18:21
There is currently no telling what is going on in Belgium. Not only has Tedesco’s team concentrated almost exclusively on defence, but their counter-attack attempts have also been half-baked at best.
19.
18:19
The French continue to search for the Belgian gap. Rabiot eventually has enough and shoots from distance, but the ball goes way over.
17.
18:17
A corner from Griezmann finds Thuram’s head, but the attempt goes well wide of the goal.
16.
18:16
Belgium then tries a counterattack, but Carrasco is outrun.
15.
18:15
But when referee Nyberg decides to award a goal kick, Mbappé and Tchouameni get very upset. But since only captain Mbappé is entitled to do so, Tchouameni receives a yellow card.
15.
18:15
Yellow card for Aurélien Tchouaméni (France)
14.
18:14
Mbappé tries a first attempt in the box from the right. The shot is deflected and therefore not dangerous.
12.
18:13
Belgium is currently not taking part in the game at all. The “Red Devils” are holed up in their own half and letting France come.
11.
18:12
France combine dangerously for the first time in the Belgian penalty area via Koundé and Griezmann. Koundé’s pass from the half-right position finds no taker. There was more in it for France!
9.
18:10
First French shot: Griezmann tries it from 20 meters, but the ball is extremely harmless. Casteels has no problems with it.
7.
18:08
France is slowly gaining control of the game. Belgium is in defense mode.
5.
18:06
Once again, Belgium is looking for Openda, again with a long ball. This time, keeper Maignan has to intervene and he is able to clear the ball at the expense of a Belgian throw-in.
4.
18:05
The French team has been looking for Mbappé from the start. Even with a mask, he remains the linchpin of the offense.
3.
18:03
Leipzig’s Openda is sent for the first time, but Bayern defender Upamecano can easily get past him.
2.
18:01
Rabiot with the first attempt: The Frenchman tries it with his left, but his direct shot from 15 meters goes well wide of the goal.
1.
18:00
The game is on. France plays in white and blue from left to right. Belgium plays in red and black.
1.
18:00
Game start
17:57
The referee is Glenn Nyberg from Sweden. It’s about to start here in Düsseldorf.
17:52
The winner of today’s match will face Portugal or Slovenia in the quarter-finals. The game will be played on Friday in Hamburg.
17:47
A quick look at the weather in Düsseldorf: It’s mild, not even 20 degrees, and a classic mix of sun and clouds. Normally it should stay dry during the game. Actually, very good conditions.
17:42
Incidentally, today is the French team’s second appearance in Düsseldorf. And Deschamps’ team has fond memories of the arena in the North Rhine-Westphalian capital. Here, “Les Bleus” defeated Austria 1-0 on the first day of group play.
17:38
But let’s get back to the Équipe Tricolore and mask-wearing Mbappé. The question is: how much does the mask hinder him? “You can’t see very well, you sweat under it – then you have to let the sweat out,” explained France’s number 10. Let’s see how it goes for him today.
17:33
Coach Domenico Tedesco is therefore relying on Leipzig’s Lois Openda in the centre of the attack. He has only made two brief appearances in the group phase so far. An interesting decision.
17:30
And now the Belgian lineup:
Casteels – Castagne, Faes, Vertonghen, Theate – Carrasco, Onana, De Bruyne, Doku – Lukaku, Openda
17:27
So Kylian Mbappé is back. The superstar who still has to wear a mask. It hinders him and annoys him. “It’s terrible to play with a mask. I always change it if there’s something that bothers me and doesn’t work properly,” he explained before the match against the Belgians.
17:24
Both coaches are under pressure, but how did they line up today? Let’s first look at the French starting eleven:
Maignan – Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Theo Hernandez – Tchouameni, Kanté, Rabiot – Griezmann, Thuram, Mbappé
17:19
The French coach Didier Deschamps has also come under fire. “Les Bleus” have only scored two goals in the tournament so far, an own goal and a penalty. Pretty poor for a tournament favorite. “Selection, coaching, leadership: a more controversial Didier Deschamps,” wrote the French sports newspaper “L’Équipe” recently. If France were to actually be eliminated here today, there would be plenty of headwind for “Le Général”.
17:15
For the Belgians, coach Domenico Tedesco, former coach of Leipzig, Schalke and Aue, is already under enormous pressure after this poor preliminary round. At the press conference before the game, the German-Italian was asked whether he was aware that his work so far and the assessment of Belgium’s performance at this European Championship would depend solely on the outcome of the game against France. His answer: “It’s not about me.” But if they lose, it could very quickly be about him.
17:10
Neither of them really impressed in the group phase. And one of them suffered a final disappointment today. Let’s see who it will be.
17:07
And Belgium? They only just made it into the round of 16. The eternal dark horse had to wait a long time in the last group match against Ukraine. The goalless draw at least gave them second place. But Romania won the group.
17:04
Both teams have only themselves to blame for this duel in the round of 16. First, let’s look at the French: They gave up a win against Poland on the last day of the group match, completely unnecessarily, and could only manage a draw. This meant that Austria was able to overtake the Équipe Tricolore, who only finished second in the group.
17:00
Hello and welcome! The third day of the round of 16 of this European Championship is upon us – and today there is a real cracker on the programme: France will face Belgium in Düsseldorf. Kick-off is at 6 p.m.
