Randal Kolo Muani’s late goal gave Kylian Mbappé and France a slim 1-0 victory over Belgium on Monday, sending them to the quarterfinals of the Euro 2024 competition.

To seal the victory, Kolo Muani’s effort in the 85th minute looped past the hapless goalkeeper Koen Casteels after deflecting off Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen. Portugal or Slovenia will now play France in the quarterfinals on Friday.

The low-quality contest between the teams rated No. 2 (France) and No. 3 (Belgium) saw none of Mbappé’s five attempts go in. Even though both sides mostly neutralized one another, French coach Didier Deschamps said the win was still “beautiful.”It was a close game against a very good squad, according to Deschamps. Despite this, I believe we had far more possession and opportunities. Kolo is what Kolo is! We must relish it. We shouldn’t undervalue this accomplishment. In the quarterfinals, we are.

A number of fortuitous goals, including a deflected shot, an own goal, and a penalty scored by Mbappé, have characterized France’s Euro 2024 campaign. France is still in the running despite criticism from supporters who anticipate more from a team captained by freshly acquired Real Madrid player Kylian Mbappé.Mbappé, who was a member of the side that fell to Switzerland in a penalty shootout in the round of 16 of the 2021 competition, will be making his maiden appearance in the quarterfinals of the European Championship.

Kolo Muani, whose last significant tournament moment was a blown opportunity in the dying seconds of extra time during the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina, too found redemption in the match. When asked about his game-winning goal against Belgium, he replied, “I was lucky enough to get my shot on target.” “It entered despite being barred. We couldn’t be happier or more proud.

After a 0-0 draw with Ukraine in the group round, Belgium’s participation in Euro 2024 was hampered by a mediocre performance that led to jeers from their own supporters. As a deep-lying midfielder, captain Kevin De Bruyne was used to try and control the game and limit France’s quick attackers, such as Mbappé. If Belgium had prevailed, the strategy might have been successful, but as it stands, coach Domenico Tedesco is now under further scrutiny. In the meantime, France continues to advance in the tournament in the hopes of utilizing their talent.