France Secures 100th Victory for Deschamps, but Mbappe Suffers Injury

France celebrated a milestone victory as they secured a 1-0 triumph over Austria in their Euro 2024 opener, marking manager Didier Deschamps' 100th win at the helm. However, the victory was marred by an injury to star forward Kylian Mbappe.

France's dominance was evident from the outset, with Mbappe's dazzling dribbling and incisive passing causing constant problems for the Austrian defense. In the 38th minute, Mbappe's brilliance paid off as he danced past three defenders and delivered a pinpoint cross that forced Austria's Max Wober to inadvertently head the ball into his own net.

Despite their early advantage, France struggled to maintain their momentum. Austria's relentless high-pressing and aggressive tackling kept them in the contest, and they nearly took the lead before France's goal when Marcel Sabitzer's cross found Christoph Baumgartner, whose shot was deflected wide.

After the interval, France regained some control, with Marcus Thuram forcing a fine save from Austria goalkeeper Patrick Pentz. However, the Austrians remained resolute, and their passionate fans roared them on until the final whistle.

Mbappe's night took a sour turn late on when he collided with Austria's Patrick Pentz, resulting in a suspected broken nose. The incident left Mbappe bloodied and bruised, and he was eventually substituted with a yellow card for sitting down on the pitch after receiving treatment.

Despite the injury to their talisman, France held on for the victory, thanks in no small part to the masterful performance of N'Golo Kante in midfield. The returning midfielder justified his recall to the squad with a dominant display, breaking up Austria's attacks and providing a solid foundation for his team.

France now join the Netherlands on three points after the Dutch beat Poland 2-1 on Sunday. They will face the Netherlands in their next match, while Austria will take on Poland in a bid to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.

Tags: #Euro2024, #France, #Austria, #DidierDeschamps, #KylianMbappe