Key events
18 min: Now it’s France’s turn again. Kante is involved in a slick counter. France win a corner. De Vrij gets rid.
17 min: We’re warming up now. Gakpo cuts in from the Dutch left and cracks a curling shot that is destined for the bottom corner. Maignan gets down to his left and beats it out – an excellent save. The resulting corner is wasted. It’s threatening to really spark into life any moment, this match …
14 min: Gynormous France chance! Rabiot is suddenly one on one with Verbruggen after a nice flick by Thuram on the edge of the box. He’s on the edge of the six-yard box and surely has to shoot? But he tries to square it for Griezmann. Griezmann in turn completely fluffs his shot, falling over as he does so … the Dutch can half clear but France immediately come again. Kante tees up Griezmann and he bends a shot from close range wide of the near post. Two big let offs for the Netherlands.
13 min: Kounde bends an excellent delivery in from the French right wing. Griezmann is there to meet it: but a superb defensive header by Reijnders sees him flick the ball to safety.
11 min: Now Dumfries makes a searching run from full-back down the Dutch right. Saliba is fouled and wins a free-kick. France have been quiet, and without Mbappé they do lack that constant threat on the counter. Can the front three selected by Deschamps step up?
10 min: The Dutch are moving the ball nicely and keeping possession. They play around in an advanced area while France assume the defensive position and close space down efficiently. Koeman will be pleased with the composure his side are showing on the ball.
8 min: The Netherlands come again. Depay is fed by Simons to feet on the penalty spot. He has his back to goal: Saliba is man-marking him and Depay tries to turn to his left and claims he’s fouled. The referee, Taylor, demonstratively waves the penalty claim away. Muscular defending by Saliba.
6 min: Simons does well on the Dutch left wing to nab possession and race down the wing into the France half. But he’s dispossessed efficiently by Upamecano. France have settled into the game after a big early scare with that chance for Frimpong.
4 min: France hit back immediately. Rabiot is played through on the left wing by Dembele, but lacks support and cuts back for Griezemann. The captain belts a decent dipping shot from the edge of the area. It’s tipped over by Verbruggen for a French corner.
3 min: France repel the corner but that was a big early scare. The pace of Frimpong was a huge factor in Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title win.
1 min: Big chance for Netherlands right away! Frimpong roars through down the right after a ball is clipped through from midfield, I think by Schouten. The winger advances into the penalty area and hits a shot from an angle which lacks conviction … but he wins a corner anyway as the ball rolls out off Maignan’s glove.
First half kick-off!
Go!
Anyway, let’s do this. The Netherlands will kick off.
I might have imagined it but I could have sworn Lineker just said on the BBC that if it’s a draw tonight, both these teams are through. Which is not correct.
Here we go then. Anthems done. Team photos taken. France are sporting that lovely striped white away kit. The Netherlands are wearing orange, which is only right. Anthony Taylor is the referee.
They love a party, the Dutch.
The teams were in the tunnel … now they’re on the pitch.
“My hopes are that the Netherlands will beat France 4-1 like in 2008,” writes David. “My fears are that they’ll lose 1-0 in a boring match while also playing in a dirty, ill-tempered manner as has happened too often in recent years (see 2010 World Cup final against Spain). I want to see them play the exciting style we expect from the Dutch team.”
“I don’t have a TV or a streaming subscription, BBC Radio live coverage is geoblocked here in Canada and local radio is not broadcasting it this year,” emails Ruby.
“Luckily I speak French so I’m listening to a radio stream from France. Ergo, my biggest worry is that one of the breathless French commentators might have a stroke mid-call.”
Bien!
Fabregas reckons France will play 4-2-3-1 and not 4-3-3. That would mean Thuram up top presumably. We’ll see.
A mention for Kante, by the way, who was exceptional in the opening win against Austria. “Thrillingly zesty,” wrote Barney Ronay:
These fan photos are too good.
A bit of pre-match reading, anyone? You got it:
What are your expectations, thoughts, hopes and fears? Email me.
Cesc Fàbregas, Wayne Rooney and Big Alan Shearer join Gary Lineker in the BBC studio this evening. Insight aplenty I am sure.
Ben Fisher is in Berlin, and witnessed the latest flop at a major tournament by Robert Lewandowski and Poland:
Or indeed France 2-3 Netherlands from alllllll the way back in 2000.
Those were the days, weren’t they? Or are these, in fact, the days?
Who remembers France 1-4 Netherlands from back in 2008?
Dirk Kuyt, Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder with the goals. Classic.
France supporters are out in force too, naturellement.
Dutch fans: Bringing colour to the tournament since who knows when.
In mask/fashion news, Mbappé can be seen wearing a plain black protective mask in the image below, as opposed to the branded France number that has also been bandied about.
It’s always interesting when a player with the status and gravitas of Mbappé is forced to drop out of a side. Perhaps it’ll free the rest of them up a bit, and give the likes of Thuram and Dembele a chance to shine a bit more?
Big Ron has arrived:
Teams
A masked Mbappé is named among the France substitutes. Didier Deschamps makes one change, with Aurelien Tchouameni coming in to the starting lineup, so not a straight swap for Mbappé. Marcus Thuram will play in a front three with Antoine Griezmann, who captains the side in Mbappé’s absence, and Ousmane Dembélé.
There is also one change for the Netherlands, made by the head coach Ronald Koeman: Jeremie Frimpong, so impressive all season for Bayer Leverkusen, comes into the starting lineup with Joey Veerman benched.
Netherlands (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Dumfries, de Vrij, van Dijk, Ake; Schouten, Simons, Reijnders; Frimpong, Depay, Gakpo. Substitutes: Geertruida, de Ligt, Wijnaldum, Weghorst, Bijlow, van de Ven, Veerman, Blind, Malen, Brobbey, Maatsen, Zirkzee, Flekken, Bergwijn, Gravenberch.
France (4-3-3): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernandez; Kante, Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Thuram. Substitutes: Samba, Pavard, Mendy, Camavinga, Giroud, Mbappe, Muani, Zaire Emery, Fofana, Coman, Clauss, Areola, Konate, Barcola.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Austria’s win means there are now three teams on three points in Group D:
France have Netherlands and Poland left to play, then, and they’ll face a Poland desperate for a win in trying to avoid yet another limp tournament exit.
Austria have beaten Poland 3-1:
Will Mbappé play? We’ll know the lineups in 10 minutes or so.
It’s all distinctly reminiscent of Antoine Dupont at the Rugby World Cup:
MP pour un code promo @KMbappe, j’ai des plans.
Bon courage surtout 💪🇫🇷— 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗗𝗨𝗣𝗢𝗡𝗧 (@Dupont9A) June 18, 2024
Let’s get the reference to Graham Taylor-era England out of the way nice and early. Here’s Paul Gascoigne wearing a protective mask after his cheekbone was broken in a 1994 World Cup qualifer against the Netherlands.
As one would expect, there have been great advances made in mask design and technology since:
Intro
The Group D permutations will become clearer when Poland and Austria have finished in Berlin – more on that soon – but the incontrovertible fact at the time of writing is France and the Netherlands have an opportunity to make it two wins out of two tonight, potentially securing themselves a place in the knockouts.
Permutations aside, this is a simply classic fixture rivalled only by Spain v Italy when it comes to high-stakes, high-quality, high-excitement pool stage encounters at Euro 2024. It’s already shaping up to be a classic tournament; tonight’s prestigious meeting in Leipzig may elevate matters still further.
Kylian Mbappé’s nose has dominated tournament discourse since he broke it in France’s opening win against Austria on Monday but regardless of whether Real Madrid’s latest signing gets a run-out, this promises to be downright unmissable.
Kick-off: 8pm BST. Allez!
