![France do it again as deflected strike sees off Belgium](https://cdn.magzter.com/1588175106/1719884217/articles/mw6FPn5jo1719903517483/FRANCE-DO-IT-AGAIN-AS-DEFLECTED-STRIKE-SEES-OFF-BELGIUM.jpg)
France 1
85og Belgium 0
For a moment in Düsseldorf, 66 shots and almost six hours into the competition, it seemed that the wait was finally over when Randal Kolo Muani's shot, their 18th on an often frustrating and oddly flat evening, beat Koen Casteels. When it came though, the shot was scuffed, deflected off the defender's knee and so ultimately awarded to poor Jan Vertonghen instead.
Unfair? Perhaps, but with that the Belgium centre-back became France's joint top scorer alongside Austria's Max Wöber and Kylian Mbappé, scorer of a penalty against Poland. With that, more importantly, France found a way past Belgian and into the next round. And that, Didier Deschamps insisted, is something to celebrate, something that should be appreciated. More to the point, however they did it - and this felt like a pretty good portrait of their performances, a goal worthy of winning this game - you wouldn't bet against them continuing through this tournament.
Not least because, for all the evidence pointing at a team that's not that good, for all that France inspire fear more because of what they can do than what they actually do, it is hard to avoid the feeling that it is at least partly by design; that at some point, things will fall into place; that reaching finals is just what they do.
This story is from the July 02, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 02, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![Raducanu faces test of progress with Sakkari rematch](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1755736/gkgikXB9K1720155580281/RADUCANU-FACES-TEST-OF-PROGRESS-WITH-SAKKARI-REMATCH.jpg)
Raducanu faces test of progress with Sakkari rematch
Home hope takes on ninth seed for the first time since victory in 2021 US Open semi
![Murray farewell starts with emotional defeat alongside older brother](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1755736/Nvsz44BpB1720155434683/MURRAY-FAREWELL-STARTS-WITH-EMOTIONAL-DEFEAT-ALONGSIDE-OLDER-BROTHER.jpg)
Murray farewell starts with emotional defeat alongside older brother
Andy and Jamie Murray spent their formative childhood years playing tennis at their local tennis club in Dunblane, where their mother, Judy, was the club coach.
![Norrie beats Draper in battle of the Brits as Djokovic fends off Fearnley](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1755736/eGouWEVcI1720155288974/NORRIE-BEATS-DRAPER-IN-BATTLE-OF-THE-BRITS-AS-DJOKOVIC-FENDS-OFF-FEARNLEY.jpg)
Norrie beats Draper in battle of the Brits as Djokovic fends off Fearnley
British No 1 falls to seasoned compatriot after failing to match his speed and agility
!['They're a tough opponent, this really could be a final'](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1755736/uGgSWN2HO1720155082296/THEYRE-A-TOUGH-OPPONENT-THIS-REALLY-COULD-BE-A-FINAL.jpg)
'They're a tough opponent, this really could be a final'
RB Leipzig’s DaniOlmo will see familiar faces on and off the field in Spain's quarter-final against hosts
![Stones senses mood change after England's big ‘turning point"](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1755736/Kbl2JIr8j1720154900514/STONES-SENSES-MOOD-CHANGE-AFTER-ENGLANDS-BIG-TURNING-POINT.jpg)
Stones senses mood change after England's big ‘turning point"
Centre-back hopes new mentality in Southgate’s side can fire them past Switzerland into the semis
![Not so fast Can technology put the brakes on speeding drivers?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1755736/7-epwuzoQ1720154589910/NOT-SO-FAST-CAN-TECHNOLOGY-PUT-THE-BRAKES-ON-SPEEDING-DRIVERS.jpg)
Not so fast Can technology put the brakes on speeding drivers?
In the highway code and the courts, there is no doubt what the big numbers in red circles mean.
![Chinese electric car firms hit with extra EU tariffs](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1755736/xhajxFanV1720154505600/CHINESE-ELECTRIC-CAR-FIRMS-HIT-WITH-EXTRA-EU-TARIFFS.jpg)
Chinese electric car firms hit with extra EU tariffs
The EU's top trade official, Valdis Dombrovskis, yesterday brushed aside concerns of trade war retaliation from Beijing against European business after the European Commission imposed duties on Chinese electric vehicles.
![Beryl heads for Mexico after lashing the Cayman Islands and Jamaica](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1755736/Ks4UfoI9q1720154394697/BERYL-HEADS-FOR-MEXICO-AFTER-LASHING-THE-CAYMAN-ISLANDS-AND-JAMAICA.jpg)
Beryl heads for Mexico after lashing the Cayman Islands and Jamaica
The Cayman Islands yesterday bore the brunt of Hurricane Beryl, which has been causing \"utter devastation\" on its path through the Caribbean since Monday.
![Gaza ceasefire proposal is a 'breakthrough', says US, but hurdles remain](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1755736/Kj_iXmVLY1720154203253/GAZA-CEASEFIRE-PROPOSAL-IS-A-BREAKTHROUGH-SAYS-US-BUT-HURDLES-REMAIN.jpg)
Gaza ceasefire proposal is a 'breakthrough', says US, but hurdles remain
The White House has described a new Hamas ceasefire proposal for Gaza as a \"breakthrough\" establishing a framework for a possible hostage deal, but warned there remained difficult negotiations ahead over how the agreement would be implemented.
![Harris favourite as s replacement candidate for Democrats](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1755736/Ir0Hu8Dyh1720154049441/HARRIS-FAVOURITE-AS-S-REPLACEMENT-CANDIDATE-FOR-DEMOCRATS.jpg)
Harris favourite as s replacement candidate for Democrats
As Joe Biden faces increasing pressure to withdraw his US presidential candidacy following his poor debating performance last week, Kamala Harris has emerged as the frontrunner to replace him.