Greece 2-2 France: Youssouf Fofana rescues draw for Didier Deschamps’ men as Les Bleus end Euro 2024 qualifiers unbeaten

Greece ended France’s 100% UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 2-2 draw in the final game in Group B.

Antoine Griezmann went close to putting his side ahead after 33 minutes when he got in front of Pantelis Hatzidiakos before firing a close range volley off the post.

France continued to push and found the breakthrough just before half-time. Olivier Giroud found Randal Kolo Muani who was able to thump home a terrific effort from a tight angle past Odisseas Vlachodimos.

Greece came out for the second half much more proactive and on the front foot and after just 11 minutes they had an equaliser. The ball looped out to the edge of the box and Anastasios Bakasetas was there to thump it on the volley past Brice Samba.

Just five minutes later Greece completed the turnaround. Dimitrios Giannoulis did brilliantly down the right-hand side before firing a ball across to Fotis Ioannidis on the edge of the six-yard box who fired home to make it 2-1.

France found an equaliser 15 minutes from time with the best goal of the night. Youssouf Fofana received the ball and had enough time to set himself before belting a stunning effort from distance which flew past Vlachodimos and into the back of the net.

France continued to push for a winner and came agonisingly close to finding one on two occasions. In the 90th minute, Kingsley Coman managed to squeeze in a cross which took a deflection off a Greece defender before striking the post and straddling the goal line. The France players thought it was in but the ball spun back out and into play.

Just a couple of minutes later and with their last attack of the match, Kylian Mbappe drove forward past a couple of defenders before letting fly with a superb effort from distance which Vlachodimos tipped onto the crossbar.

Greece held on to become the first team during Euro 2024 qualifying to take points off France.

France came into Tuesday’s match having won seven of their previous seven Euro 2024 qualifiers and looking to make it a perfect campaign. A clip of Didier Deschamps telling the France players to be even more ruthless at half-time against Gibraltar whilst 7-0 up went viral and showed that despite being qualified for Euro 2024, he and his players wanted to play at their maximum in every single match. Make no mistake, they wanted to win in Greece and become only the second team in Euro 2024 qualifying to win all of their matches – Portugal being the other. Greece however, had other ideas.

Gus Poyet’s side came back from 1-0 down to take a 2-1 lead, threatening to inflict upon France their first defeat. It didn’t pan out that way but the Greeks can be proud of their effort. Before the match, France had conceded just one (1!) goal all campaign, Greece scored double that amount against them in Athens.

Of course, for France, qualifying is little more than a means to an end, a journey and not the destination. The real work will come in Germany in 2024 but until then, France can look back at this qualifying campaign and be proud of what they have achieved despite failing to make it a 100% campaign.

The 24-year-old Monaco midfielder was involved throughout the match, competing 101 of his 109 passes. His screamer to make it 2-2 was the pick of the bunch, an absolutely scintillating effort he won’t mind watching back on repeat.

Greece: Vlachodimos 6, Retsos 6, Mavropanos 7, Hatzidiakos 6, Rota 7, Bouchalakis 7, Galanopoulos 6, Bakasetas 7, Giannoulis 7, Masouras, Ioannidis 7 Subs: Alexandropoulous 6, Zeca 6, Pavlidis 6, Konstantelias N/A, Saliakas N/A

France: Samba 5, Hernandez 6, L Hernandez 6, Saliba 6, Kounde 6, Rabiot 6, Fofana 8, Griezmann 7, Dembele 7, Muani 7, Giroud 7 Subs: Mbappe 7, Clauss 6, Coman 6, Thuram 6, Disasi 6.

33’ GRIEZMANN STRIKES THE WOODWORK – The ball is clipped over the top, Griezmann gets in front of Hatzidiakos but can only volley his effort against the post.

44’ GOAL! GREECE 0-1 FRANCE (KOLO MUANI) – Randal Kolo Muani has gave France the lead in Athens with an emphatic finish! Olivier Giroud plays the ball into the path of Kolo Muani on the right-hand side who thumps his effort from a very tight angle past Vlachodimos.

57’ GOAL! GREECE 1-1 FRANCE (BAKASETAS) – Greece have equalised! Anastasios Bakasetas with a wonderful strike! The ball came out to him on the edge of the box which he thumped on the volley past Samba!

62’ GOAL! GREECE 2-1 FRANCE (IOANNIDIS) – Greece have turned it around! Dimitrios Giannoulis does brilliantly down the left-hand side before pulling a ball across to Fotis Ionanidis who fires home past Samba! An incredible turnaround.

75’ GOAL! GREECE 2-2 FRANCE (FOFANA) – Youssouf Fofana has equalised for his side with an absolute stunner! He let fly from distance and his powerful effort was too much for Vlachodimos who got a glove to it but couldn’t keep it out.

90’ FRANCE STRIKE THE POST! – Kingsley Coman crosses a ball which strikes a Greece defender, it hits the post and looks to have gone in but then spun back out! There doesn’t appear to be goal line technology and is now being checked by VAR.

90’ MBAPPE NEARLY WINS IT! – Kylian Mbappe does brilliantly to find space for a shot before rifling an effort which Vlachodimos tips onto the crossbar!