Watch Austria vs France full match replay and highlights.
KICK-OFF at 19:00 (GMT) on 17th June 2024
The referee for this match is Gil Manzano
Game played at Düsseldorf Arena
This is a match in Europe – UEFA European Championship, Group D, Season 2024
France Edges Austria in Euro 2024 Opener with a Narrow 1-0 Win
France commenced their UEFA Euro 2024 campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Austria in Düsseldorf, maintaining their impressive unbeaten record in European Championship openers (W7, D3). Didier Deschamps’ side, fresh off a dominant qualification campaign, managed to secure the three points against Ralf Rangnick’s revitalized Austrian team.
Early French Pressure
France, having dropped only two points during their qualifying run, entered the tournament as one of the favorites. They quickly asserted their dominance from the kickoff, with Kylian Mbappé’s low shot forcing a save from Austrian goalkeeper Patrick Pentz. Despite the early pressure, Austria settled into the game, with Christoph Baumgartner coming close to scoring, only to be denied by a brilliant save from Mike Maignan.
Fortuitous French Lead
Austria’s missed opportunity proved costly. Just three minutes later, France took the lead when a cross from Mbappé was inadvertently headed into the net by Austria’s Maximilian Wöber. This own goal shifted the momentum in favor of Les Bleus as they went into halftime with a slender lead.
Second Half Struggles
France continued their attacking efforts in the second half, and Mbappé missed a golden opportunity to double their lead, failing to convert a one-on-one chance. Marcus Thuram also saw a sharp effort denied by Pentz, who kept Austria in the game with several key saves.
Austria’s Late Push
As the match entered the final quarter-hour, Austria grew more confident in their pursuit of an equalizer. Alexander Prass had a clear chance to level the score, but his header went wide. France’s defense held strong, securing a hard-fought victory and extending their dominant head-to-head record against Austria to eight wins in the last 11 meetings.
Looking Ahead
For Austria, despite the loss, there are positives to take into their next group game against Poland. Rangnick’s side showed resilience and capability, indicating that they can pose a challenge in the upcoming matches. France, meanwhile, will look to build on this victory as they continue their quest for the Euro 2024 title.