France has secured a spot in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Croatia at the Stade de France. Les Bleus overcame a two-goal deficit from the first leg, winning 2-0 in regulation time before holding their nerve in the shoot-out.
The match started with both teams looking cautious, aware of the stakes. Croatia, having won the first leg 2-0, aimed to protect their advantage, while France needed a strong response. The breakthrough came early in the second half when Michael Olise produced a stunning free-kick, finding the top corner to give France hope.
With momentum shifting, Olise played a key role again, delivering a precise assist to Ousmane Dembélé, who finished expertly to level the aggregate score. As the match progressed, France continued to press for a decisive goal, with Kylian Mbappé coming close on multiple occasions. However, Croatia’s goalkeeper, Dominik Livaković, made crucial saves to keep the scoreline intact, extending Mbappé’s goal drought in international competitions.
Extra time saw both sides struggle to find a winner, leading to a penalty shoot-out. Croatia, known for their strong record in penalties, seemed confident, but it was France’s goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, who proved to be the hero. The AC Milan shot-stopper made two crucial saves, shifting the advantage to the French side. Dayot Upamecano stepped up and calmly converted the decisive penalty, sealing France’s place in the semi-finals against Spain.
