Europeans, Hungary-France 1-1: Griezmann responds to Fiola

Surprisingly, Marco Rossi’s national team frightens the world champions. She took the lead in the 47th minute with Fiola, but was reached in the 66th minute by the Barcelona forward

by our correspondent Luca Bianchin

June 19
– BUDAPEST (Hungary)–

Attila descends on France and, 1,600 years after the original, is pushed back with difficulty. Attila Fiola was Europe’s most famous man for half an hour, the time passed from his 1-0 in Hungary-France to Griezmann’s draw. The match ended 1-1 and can be surprisingly declassified but it risked becoming the most sensational result of the European Championship. The super-favorite France suffered from the game determination of Hungary’s life, joked with fire for a while, then came back with a play by Mbappé, for detachment the most inspired of the phenomena, closed in goal by Griezmann. In the final half hour it was siege, pure siege, but Hungary somehow held up, thanks also to Gulacsi.

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THE TWO GOALS

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The goals are quite sensational also for how they arrived. The unthinkable materialized in full recovery of the first half. Fiola asks Sallai for a long triangle, which closes the exchange. Fiola at that point has several meters between him and the door, Pavard, a world champion, behind and in front of Varane ready to close it. It is not going out of Alcatraz, but not even a little game, yet Fiola accelerates, shortens the pace and puts his right hand on the near post. The Puskas Arena, already hot on its own, trembles. The French draw is a paradox because it comes with Hungary – already defensive on its own, let alone 1-0 – unbalanced ahead. Lloris quickly returns a ball from a corner and the pair Négo-Nagy, midfielders left behind, make the fatal mistake: he bounces the ball. Mbappé deflects, eats Négo and puts in the middle, where Orban deflects (badly) in the center of the area. Griezmann, alone, does what he must with the left.

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THE MATCH

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The rest of the game is a long French monologue conditioned by the heat – so hot – and with the background of the 55,000 of the Puskas Arena, in which the 5,700 French disappear. France, sleepy, was illuminated by Mbappé in the first half. Two actions above all. Minute 31: a phenomenal play – stop with his back to the goal and touch from a superior player – for the insertion of Benzema, who unfortunate kicks out. Minute 33: a ballet in the area worthy of the original Ronaldo, with sole, double dribble and shot. Out. In the second half, however, in full siege mode, Kylian wasted the best goal ball, coming from a nice idea by Giroud, who joined for Benzema in full nostalgia for 2018.

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AND NOW?

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This 1-1 definitively consolidates the impression on Hungary – many technical limits but triple energy – and casts doubts on France’s role as hyper-favorite. Coming to Budapest and playing in the heat of 15 against ten attackers in the red jersey is not the best of life, but Deschamps’ 4-3-3 did not convince. Much better when he took off Rabiot, at the beginning of the second half, to pass a 4-2-3-1 with Dembélé wide on the right. This is the first question: against Portugal, in four days, who will be left out? The second concerns the placement in the group. If Portugal do not lose against Germany at 6 pm, on Wednesday in Budapest against France they will have two out of three results: with a draw, he would be first, in the half of the draw in which – unless there are surprises – Italy will be there. Whether this is good or bad, well… it is part of the opinions of life.

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