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World champions France fail on penalties against Switzerland

2021-06-29T12:11:54.578Z


In the 55th minute of the game, France was already facing the end of the European Championship against Switzerland. Then the star offensive turned on. The decision was only made on penalties, when Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty.


Enlarge image

France's Kylian Mbappé (left) in a duel with the Swiss Steven Zuber

Photo:

Daniel Mihailescu / dpa

France sensationally failed in the European Championship round of 16 against Switzerland.

The reigning world champion was defeated by the Nati 7: 8 (0: 1, 3: 3, 3: 3) on penalties.

Haris Seferović gave Switzerland the lead (15th minute), Karim Benzema turned the game around with a brace within two minutes (57th, 59th).

After Paul Pogba's goal to make it 3-1, Switzerland managed to equalize through Seferović (81st) and Mario Gavranović (90th).

On penalties, the Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer parried the decisive shot by Kylian Mbappé.

Before that, all the shooters had hit.

Switzerland started boldly, put the favorites under pressure early on - and was rewarded: After a cross from Steven Zuber, Seferović prevailed against Clement Lenglet and headed into the left corner against the direction of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (15th).

The French offensive game was hooked as a result.

As in the group stage against Hungary, it was difficult to establish a deep defense chain.

The French hoped for the second round, but it started with a damper: After a duel in the French penalty area, the Argentine referee Fernando Rapallini went to the review area and decided on a penalty.

Bayern defender Benjamin Pavard pulled Zuber off his feet with a straddle (52nd).

Switzerland threatened to take a 2-0 lead, but Hugo Lloris parried Rodríguez's penalty (55th).

Minutes that turn the game around

Lloris kept the French in the game - it should be the starting shot for a furious comeback.

First Kylian Mbappé failed with a shot that narrowly missed the right post (56th), then Mbappé sent Benzema into the penalty area.

The pass went slightly into the back of the striker, who took the ball behind his back and chipped it over the summer rushing out (57th).

Only two minutes later things got even more bitter for the Swiss: Xherdan Shaqiri lost the ball on his own penalty area, Antoine Griezmann played a one-two with Mbappé and failed with a lob at Sommer, but Benzema headed off immediately in front of the goal line (59 .).

A dream goal by Pogba, who slipped the ball from 20 meters into the right angle, should have decided the game (75th).

But again the French defensive showed itself to be vulnerable to high balls, again Seferović headed past Lloris into the goal (81st).

And Switzerland actually came again: First a goal from Gavranović was whistled back (88th), then after a loss of the ball by Kylian Mbappé in midfield, he hit the left corner from around 20 meters to equalize (90th).

In the fourth minute of stoppage time Kingsley Coman failed with a shot on the crossbar.

In extra time, the French dominated the game, but missed the winning goal.

So the penalty shoot-out had to decide.

On Friday, the Swiss face Spain in the quarter-finals (6 p.m., live ticker SPIEGEL.de), which also lost a 3-1 in the early game on Monday evening and then won in extra time.

hba

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2021-06-29

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