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The Allianz Arena hosted the standout fixture of UEFA Euro 2020 so far, as France and Germany locked horns in a Group F fixture. In what was a captivating game of football between the two previous world champions, France recorded a hard-fought 1-0 to pick up three priceless points in Munich.
Both sides enjoyed good spells of possession in the opening exchanges, with Germany looking likelier of the two sides to break the deadlock. However, Didier Deschamps' side took a first-half lead in fortunate circumstances through a Mats Hummels own goal. The German defender inadvertently turned the ball into his own net from close range for the solitary goal of the game, as he failed to deal with a Lucas Hernandez cross that bounced awkwardly in front of him.
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France took control of the game after the first goal and dominated proceedings until half-time, with Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba running the show from the center of the park.
Germany grew into the game and began to see a lot more of the ball after the interval, but they lacked incision in the final third and couldn't trouble Hugo Lloris between the sticks for France. Serge Gnabry had the best chance to equalize for Die Mannschaft, but the Bayern Munich winger failed to keep his shot down from close range.
France lived up to their billing as Euro 2020 favorites with a statement victory in Germany, as the home side left a lot to be desired in the final third. In what was a well-contested Group F fixture, here are five talking points from the game.
#5 The curious case of Joshua Kimmich
While Joshua Kimmich has firmly established himself as a central midfielder over the past few seasons, he started out as a right-back. Due to the absence of a quality player to be stationed as a right-wing in a 3-4-3 formation, the former RB Leipzig man played in that position for Germany.
Kimmich is comfortable with the ball at his feet and is a fantastic crosser of the ball, but it goes without saying that he'd rather play in midfield, be it for club or country. He lacks the pace required to take people on and his skill-set is best suited to a midfield role that would allow him to set the tempo of the game.
Against one of the strongest teams in world football, the 26-year-old endured a forgettable outing on the right flank. With Toni Kroos and Ilkay Gundogan occupying the two midfield spots and the likes of Leon Goretzka and Florian Neuhaus on the bench, he is likely to play there for the rest of Euro 2020.
Nevertheless, the writing is on the wall for Joachim Low: Kimmich is much better in midfield than he is at right-wing back.
#4 France dominate Germany in midfield
The midfield battle was tipped to be one for the ages, with gifted footballers like Toni Kroos, Ilkay Gundogan, N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba occupying central midfield roles for their respective teams. While both teams enjoyed good spells with the ball in the first half, France slowly grew in stature after taking the lead on the night.
Pogba, in particular, produced arguably the best individual performance of Euro 2020 so far, as he stole the show with a magnificent all-round display. The Manchester United star is one of the most gifted footballers of his generation and always seems to save his best for France, as he combined his outrageous technical ability with work rate to devastating effect.
Kante, on the other hand, was the perfect foil to Pogba's effervescence on the ball, as he complemented the towering midfielder perfectly. The Chelsea star played Kroos and Gundogan off the park with his energy and ability to win the ball back, while Pogba made an impact offensively with a string of sumptuous passes.
Germany hardly get dominated in midfield, but they were taught a harsh lesson by France's dynamic duo at the Allianz Arena.
Also Read: Paul Merson column - 5 surprise contenders for the Player of the Tournament award at Euro 2020
#3 Germany lacked cohesion and pace upfront
Serge Gnabry and Kai Havertz were stationed alongside Thomas Muller in attack for Germany on the night. While the trio looked star-studded on paper, they didn't combine particularly well and lacked the pace required to take on the French backline.
Gnabry is blessed with incredible pace and acceleration, but the Bayern Munich man failed to deliver the goods on the night and missed a glorious chance to equalize in the second half. Havertz, meanwhile, has never been known for his pace. Chelsea's UEFA Champions League hero had a few neat touches, but he didn't make his presence felt over the course of the 90 minutes.
Muller worked hard and came close to scoring with a glancing header in the first half, but that was all the impact he had on the game. With Germany set to come up against Portugal later this week, Joachim Low could be tempted to hand starts to Timo Werner and Leroy Sane to inject more pace and directness into his side.
#2 Pogba and Griezmann always save their best for France
Over the years, Paul Pogba has often been slated for his failure to perform for Manchester United as well as he does for France. Since his move to Barcelona, Antoine Griezmann has been accused of the same, which brings us to the question - how can two world-class footballers look a shadow of themselves while playing for their clubs?
The answer is quite simple. Pogba and Griezmann have been given the freedom to play to their strengths for France and more importantly, they always play in their preferred positions. The former is one of the most talented midfielders of the modern era and has played his best football alongside N'Golo Kante, who acts as the insurance policy in the center of the park.
Griezmann, on the other hand, has been given the license to roam in the final third for France, allowing him to play his best football. At Barcelona, he is often shafted out wide to co-exist with Lionel Messi, who is understandably given the freedom to operate as he pleases in attack.
The two players were on top of their games for France, with Pogba winning the Man of the Match award for his outstanding display.
#1 Mbappe and Benzema showed signs of a budding partnership for France
Karim Benzema's addition to an already star-studded French attack is bad news for the rest of the teams in the competition. The Real Madrid striker received a surprise call-up ahead of Euro 2020 and has slotted in seamlessly, with Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe completing the front three.
Benzema and Mbappe combined well together against Germany, indicating that they're on the same wavelength as each other. France's attackers were given a lot of freedom in the final third, with the trio often interchanging positions to cause chaos amongst the German rearguard.
The mutual admiration between Mbappe and Benzema off the pitch is well-documented, but they also showed signs of promise on the field in their first competitive game together. Both players combined well with one another to put the ball into the back of the net in the second half, but neither of the goals stood due to two close offside calls.
Including the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Kingsley Coman and Wisam Ben Yedder, Deschamps is blessed with plenty of attacking superstars at his disposal. The spotlight, though, will undoubtedly be on Mbappe, Benzema and Griezmann, as the trio look to wreak havoc in the games ahead.
Also Read: Jim Beglin column - 5 players who could impress in unfamiliar positions
