In a game where both sides had their moments, it's the fine margins that tell the real story. Let’s break down the key stats and tactical battles that shaped this thrilling encounter. 🔍👇

A Battle of Missed Chances and Clinical Finishing: Belgium vs France

Statistically, both teams played an even game across all levels, creating big chances to put their team ahead throughout the 95 minutes. ⚔️💥

But it was France who edged it by converting their chances—something Belgium just couldn’t manage on the night. Despite dominating the xG stats with a cumulative xG of 2.7, Belgium only found the back of the net once.

Their failure to convert chances, including a missed penalty in the first half, ultimately cost them the game. 😬⚽

As they say in France, "Bonne chance!"—but for Belgium, the luck just wasn’t on their side this time. 🍀🤷‍♂️

xG Drama: Missed Penalties and Aerial Dominance

The xG Race reveals how strong Belgium started the game, with Doku and Openda constantly testing the French high line and creating problems. Their aggressive attacking play earned them a penalty, but unfortunately, Tielemans skied the spot-kick high above the bar, missing a huge opportunity to take the lead. ❌

Following that, France gradually grew into the game, despite missing several key players. Barcola was particularly impactful on the left, creating problems and winning a penalty for France, which Kolo Muani calmly slotted away—showing Belgium how it’s done. 🎯

However, Belgium bounced back before halftime. Castagne, evergreen on the right flank, whipped in a brilliant cross between Saliba and Konaté, allowing Openda to head the ball home and level the score. 1-1 going into the break. 🔥

The second half started with a near-identical scenario, but this time it was Kolo Muani who capitalized on his aerial prowess, rising above the Belgian defense to score another header. The Belgian goalkeeper should have done better, but it was now 2-1 to France with half an hour to go. 😩

After Tchouaméni’s red card, Belgium had several chances to equalize, but they couldn’t convert their opportunities. Despite being a man down, France showed defensive solidarity, holding strong to secure the win. 🛡️

Passing Networks: Centralised Belgium vs Fluid France

The defensive lines of both teams were similarly high, but France's line was pushed slightly further up the pitch, reflecting their more aggressive pressing and ball recovery strategy. 🇫🇷 Their average on-ball defensive line sat at 34.83m, slightly higher than Belgium's 33.0m. 

Key Roles were clear in the passing networks. Belgium heavily relied on their center-backs Faes and Debast to distribute the ball and launch attacks from the back. 🇧🇪 Meanwhile, France had a more collaborative approach, with defenders and midfielders both involved in the build-up. Konaté to Saliba was the top passing combo for France, while Belgium's top connection was Faes to Debast. 🤝

Looking at passing density, Belgium’s play was heavily focused through the central areas and deeper positions, while France showed much more width in their play, utilising the wings and midfield for more dynamic ball movement. 🔥 This allowed France to be less predictable, using both flanks and their central players to cause Belgium problems.

Belgium maintained a compact, central structure, while France displayed a more expansive, fluid style, stretching the play across the wings and midfield. 🌍

Les Bleus Dictate Play as Belgium Struggles to Find Rhythm

France controlled the tempo with 54% possession, dictating much of the play from central areas while Belgium often looked to exploit the flanks. From the opening whistle, it was clear that France wanted to keep the ball in the middle of the park, playing with calm and patience. Their midfield trio was sharp in maintaining possession, stringing together passes and keeping Belgium chasing shadows. 🌀

Belgium, on the other hand, seemed more reliant on the wings to progress the ball forward. With tricky wide players like Doku, the Belgians often looked to hit France on the break down the flanks. But despite their best efforts, France's ability to retain possession in key areas meant Belgium had to work twice as hard to regain control. 🏃‍♂️💨

The passing stats told the story: France completed 433 passes to Belgium’s 366, and their accuracy was notably higher. Each French player seemed confident on the ball, probing and recycling possession, waiting for the right moment to strike. Belgium's approach, while dangerous at times, lacked the sustained control to really unsettle the French defense. Instead of going through the heart of the French midfield, Belgium often tried to create chances from the wings, swinging in crosses that were met with mixed success. 🌪️⚽

France's dominance in possession and better passing accuracy gave them the edge, especially in midfield, where they seemed untouchable. Belgium had their moments, but in a game where control and patience were key, France's strategy came out on top. 👏

Belgium’s Compact Defense vs. France’s Proactive Press

Belgium's defensive setup showcased a compact, last-line effort, focusing primarily on protecting their penalty area. They were content to absorb pressure and rely on winning aerial duels to keep France at bay. In contrast, France employed a more spread-out, proactive defensive approach, with a clear emphasis on disrupting play in wider areas and winning the ball higher up the pitch. 🔥

While Belgium won 15 aerial duels to France’s 4, which highlights their dominance in the air, they struggled with interceptions, recording only 3 compared to France’s impressive 9. This inability to break up play allowed France to maintain their attacking momentum and recycle possession more effectively. 😤

Both teams put in a solid defensive shift with a significant number of ball recoveries near their own penalty boxes—36 for Belgium and 32 for France. However, France’s ability to press and intercept higher up the pitch gave them an advantage in controlling the game flow and keeping Belgium’s attacking efforts under control. 💪

Wingers on Fire: Belgium's Wide Play vs France's Right-Side Focus

Belgium, known for their lightning-fast and tricky wingers, primarily advanced the ball into France’s defensive third via the wings. Their tactical focus saw 25 entries by passing and 8 entries by carrying or dribbling the ball. This strategy was not just a stylistic choice but a necessity due to France’s vertical compactness, which made it difficult for Belgium to play through the middle.

France, on the other hand, showcased the brilliance of Barcola, one of the most impactful wingers in European football. His influence on the game was undeniable as France penetrated the Belgian defense heavily from his side, making 35 entries through passing and 8 through carrying. The French attack down the right flank proved to be a major threat, highlighting Barcola’s ability to dominate with and without the ball. ⚡🇫🇷

As both teams pushed forward through the flanks, the battle for control in the final third became a crucial aspect of the game.

Doku vs. Barcola: Two Different Approaches, One Common Threat

Doku was by far the more aggressive player with the ball, attempting a higher number of carries (25) and dribbles compared to Barcola (11). His focus was clearly on driving progression and shot creation, completing 6 out of 15 dribbles, for a success rate of 40%. ⚡ Despite this lower success rate, Doku’s risk-taking allowed him to contribute significantly to Belgium’s attacking plays, penetrating the penalty area 3 times and creating 4 shot opportunities. His higher volume approach made him an ever-present threat ⚔️, but also highlighted the challenging nature of his dribbles, which were often against tougher opposition.

Barcola, on the other hand, opted for efficiency over volume. With fewer carries (11) and dribbles (10), he still managed to match Doku’s ability to enter the penalty box and be a danger in key areas. Barcola’s dribble success rate was much higher at 60%, showing that when he chose to take on defenders, he did so with precision and purpose. 🎯 While he created fewer shot opportunities, his expected threat (xT) from carries remained similar to Doku’s, indicating that despite his lower involvement, he made his moments count. ✅

In summary, Doku’s approach was all about high-risk, high-reward 💥, while Barcola focused on a more measured, efficient strategy. Both were effective in their own right, with Doku contributing more to overall shot creation and progression, and Barcola shining through his efficiency and ability to break through with fewer attempts. ⚽🔑

In a match brimming with drama, Belgium once again came up short against their French rivals. Despite creating more chances, including Tielemans' missed penalty, they couldn’t break through. France, however, seized their moments—Kolo Muani's header and their defensive wall after Tchouaméni’s red card were crucial.

Doku’s relentless drives and Barcola’s efficient play added intrigue, but in the end, it was France’s clinical finishing that made the difference. Belgium may have won on the stats, but France proved again that precision beats power.