EURO 2024 | France 1-0 Belgium: Fortune favours Les Bleus

France reached the quarter-finals thanks to yet another own goal, this time off Jan Vertonghen, and a goal-saving Theo Hernandez tackle to eliminate Romelu Lukaku’s Belgium from EURO 2024.

They will face either Portugal or Slovenia in the quarter-final, but Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot will miss it due to suspension.

Les Bleus made radical changes after a disappointing group phase, using Inter striker Marcus Thuram as the striker in a hybrid 4-3-3 formation, with Milan pair Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan. Belgium struggled too and Italy-born coach Domenico Tedesco also made some adjustments behind Roma’s Lukaku.

Maignan made a somewhat bizarre save using his legs on a Kevin De Bruyne free kick, which took a slight deflection off the wall, but still seemed to surprise the Milan goalkeeper.

Theo Hernandez also had to charge down a strike from Yannick Carrasco, while Thuram turned a couple of headers off target and Aurelien Tchaouameni forced a save.

Milan left-back Theo Hernandez had to get back and make a sensational goal-saving tackle on Carrasco, while Lukaku’s angled drive tested Maignan at the near post and De Bruyne stung the goalkeeper’s gloves.

Theo Hernandez with some brilliant last ditch defending 🙌#Euro2024 | #FRABEL pic.twitter.com/TlaVfyXQTv

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 1, 2024

France broke through moments later with a lot of luck, as Randal Kolo Muani saw his effort take a huge deflection off Jan Vertonghen’s knee to wrongfoot Koen Casteels at the near post.

A late own goal from Jan Vertonghen gives France the lead 🇫🇷

And Belgium have 5 minutes to find a response… 👀#Euro2024 | #FRABEL pic.twitter.com/wYvuX4HldO

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 1, 2024

Incredibly, Les Bleus have reached the final eight finding the net with only two own goals and a penalty in four games.