Kylian Mbappé scores 50th goal; France defeat Germany 2-0, finish third in Nations League
France's Kylian Mbappe (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)
France secured a 2-0 victory over Germany in the UEFA Nations League third-place match in Munich on Saturday, with Kylian Mbappé scoring his 50th international goal and assisting another, while Spain and Portugal prepared for the final on Sunday.
Mbappé opened the scoring just before halftime after being set up by Aurélien Tchouaméni, despite Germany's dominance in the first half. The French striker then turned provider, assisting Michael Olise for the second goal in the 84th minute.
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France coach Didier Deschamps had expressed his reservations about the match beforehand.
"The game is there, we'll play it," Deschamps had stated, with his team missing injured Paris Saint-Germain players Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola.
Germany's performance was marked by missed opportunities, including a disallowed equalizer from Deniz Undav due to a foul by Niclas Füllkrug in the buildup.
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Both teams found themselves competing for third place after their semifinal defeats. Germany fell 2-1 to Portugal on Wednesday, while France suffered a 5-4 loss to European champions Spain on Thursday.
Spanish and Portuguese supporters gathered in Munich's Marienplatz before the final, despite rain showers in the Bavarian capital.
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With stores closed on Sunday, fans spent time in local restaurants enjoying traditional German dishes like Schweinshaxe and sausages accompanied by local beers.
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The atmosphere in Munich was notably different from the previous weekend's Champions League final between PSG and Inter Milan, with a reduced police presence visible in the city.
The match marked Mbappé's continued excellence for the French national team, with his 50th goal highlighting his importance to Les Bleus. France's improved second-half performance helped secure the consolation victory over the host nation.
Both teams navigated through the match despite various challenges, with Germany's missed chances proving costly and France capitalizing on their opportunities to claim third place in the tournament.
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