France 2-1 Belgium: Les Bleues seal place in Women's Euro 2022 quarter-final with edgy Group D victory

After running riot with a 5-1 win over Italy in their opening game, Les Bleues did not need to pull off another marauding performance in order to join hosts England and Germany in the knockout round.

A narrow win would see them into the quarter-finals, but with the gauntlet having been laid down by the Lionesses’ record-breaking 8-0 win over Norway, Corinne Diacre’s side had a point to prove.

Before France’s coach had even pulled up to the New York Stadium, neutrals were voting with their faces in the city’s dedicated fan zone, as those opting not to go with the full nose-to-chin half-and-half were mostly leaning toward the colours of blue, white and red.

And for those supporters expecting a re-run of the five-goal glut France achieved three days previously, Kadidiatou Diani’s sixth-minute back-post header was full of promise.

But for all France’s possession and tricky feet, the squealing masses at the New York stadium were made to wait more than half an hour for another goal – which nobody expected to go into Les Bleues’ net.

Belgium forward Janice Cayman’s strike was subject to a VAR check, which was booed by the crowd who craved a twist in the tale as French dominance looked set to characterise the rest of the contest.

The goal stood, but its legacy was short-lived. France had retaken the lead within two minutes of the restart, with Griedge Mbock Bathy finding fellow tournament debutant Clara Mateo’s cross to thump home a powerful header and send her side into the break with a goal advantage.

France failed to pull the strings as effectively after the interval and, as a fidgety young crowd were turning to Mexican waves, hoarding banging and phone-torch illuminations for entertainment, the temperature of the action on the pitch was rising.

The Red Devils won their first corner of the game around the hour mark as a much-changed Belgium side progressed creatively toward an edgier, more-balanced contest.

The match was kept competitive by some laudable goalkeeping by Belgium’s Nicky Evrard, who nulled the threat of Sarr, saving a six-yard strike and throwing herself in front of the charging striker’s feet.

The Red Devils’ belief in their capacity to pull level was evident in Cayman’s burst of frustration after her cross, sprung loose in a mix-up between Pauline Peyraud-Magnin and skipper Wendie Renard, was not seized by a gold shirt.

With both sides anxiously hunting a goal, the award of a France penalty looked set to put the matter to bed in a climactic end to the clash which also saw Belgium substitute Amber Tysiak sent down the tunnel after being shown a second yellow card.

As captain Renard stepped up to take it, the supporters who had been chanting her name – not least the young girl bearing a cardboard sign tipping her to win the Ballon d’Or – backed the 31-year-old to seal victory.

But Evrard had one more ace to play – she saved Renard’s effort and the France veteran put the rebound wide.

In five minutes of added time, the 10-man Red Devils couldn’t find the equaliser they needed, leaving them with one Group D point on the board ahead of their final Group D clash against Italy on Monday.

The 2-1 victory sees France advance to the final eight, which they could face without Marie-Antoinette Katoto after their star player limped off with a strapped off leg in the first half.

Elsewhere, Italy kept alive their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals by coming from behind to take a point in a 1-1 draw with Iceland.

England complete their Group A fixtures against Northern Ireland in Southampton on Friday.