It was not the game of ‘les bleus’. Everything that could go wrong did. Or almost everything. In the end they got a point despite starting losing and despite playing 40 minutes with one less player due to the expulsion of Koundé. Griezmann scored, almost accidentally, Mbappé did not appear and Pjanic played the 90 minutes.
FRA
Bos
France
Lloris; Koundé, Varane, Kimpembe, Digne; Veretout (Dubois 54 ‘), Pogba, Lemar (Tchouaméni 46’); Griezmann (Coman 76 ‘); Benzema (Martial 76 ‘), Mbappé (Diaby 90’).
Bosnia
Sehic; Hadzikadunic, Ahmedhodzic, Sanicanin; Susic (Cipetic 64 ‘), Amir, Pjanic, Cimirot (Loncar 72’), Kolasinac (Civic 54 ‘); Demirovic (Prevljak 72 ‘), Dzeko.
Goals
0-1 M.36 Dzeko; 1-1 M.39 Griezmann.
Referee
Sandro Scharer. TA: Veretout (30 ‘) / Hadziahmetovic (76’). TR: Koundé (51 ‘).
France started at half throttle, without haste, maturing a shock that the vast majority thought would fall on the ‘bleu’ side. Benzema was seen active, with a pair of harmless shots caught by the Bosnian goalkeeper. Mbappé also had it with a shot to the outside of the post. What the Stade de la Meinau did not expect is Lemar’s error in the exit of the ball. It was picked up by a Dzeko who after his driving, did not think twice before beating Lloris from the front of the area.
The state of shock was short-lived. What it took Griezmann to tie. Probably one of the strangest goals of his career. Dzeko finished off his head to clear, touched the Atlético de Madrid player’s back and the leather ended up crying. Despite the fact that the Bosnian defense tried to pull it from the same line. The VAR, after a couple of minutes, determined that it was a valid goal.
Things, if they were already ugly because of the poor game of the world champions, became more complicated five minutes after the restart. Koundé entered at the wrong time, caught ankle and the VAR saw him. After passing through the screen, the Swiss referee did not doubt it twice before taking the direct red to the Sevilla center-back, today operating from the side.
Bosnia took little advantage of it to take a better boat. They no longer expected the point and the treasure also had to be protected. Pjanic completed the 90 minutes and was able to give the French victory the last gasp with a free kick. It was skimming the crossbar. Distribution of points and it is already the second draw for France in this group stage. It has a lot of margin.