xtratime Logo

Xtra Time Web Desk: In a tightly contested match at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, the Netherlands and France played to a 0-0 draw, edging both teams closer to the knockout stages of Euro 2024. Despite the absence of Kylian Mbappe, who was sidelined with a broken nose sustained in a previous match against Austria, Les Bleus managed to create more significant opportunities in the first half.

Read More: ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Babar Azam and co. face match-fixing allegation, PCB breaks silence

Antoine Griezmann was particularly active, attempting four of France's five shots before the break. His most notable efforts included a first-time shot that narrowly missed the left post and two shots that required saves from Dutch goalkeeper Verbruggen. The Netherlands' best chance came from Cody Gakpo, whose powerful shot from the edge of the box was expertly pushed away from the bottom-right corner by French keeper Maignan.

France continued to exert pressure in the second half. Adrien Rabiot fired a shot wide, Aurélien Tchouaméni headed over the bar, and Griezmann saw a one-on-one effort thwarted by Verbruggen. The Dutch thought they had finally broken the deadlock when Xavi Simons drilled a low shot into the bottom-right corner. However, the goal was disallowed following a VAR review, which revealed that Denzel Dumfries was offside and obstructing Maignan's view.

Read More: ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Rishabh Pant applauded by legend, know more

Statistically, France had the upper hand with an expected goals  compared to the Netherlands. Both teams now have four points from their first two matches. The Netherlands will next face Austria, while France is set to play against Poland.