France 2-1 Germany: 5 Talking Points

In Tuesday's high-profile encounter the current World Cup winners pulled off an impressive comeback win against the former World Champions.

After being forced to look feckless against the Netherlands just 3 days ago, Germany looked a completely different outfit as they took charge of the first half. But France reiterated why they are the champions of the world by turning the game on its head in the second half.

It was Toni Kroos that opened the scoring, dispatching from the spot after the ref adjudged that Presnel Kimpembe handled the ball as he was trying to get in the way of Sane's cut back.

France equalized as Griezmann headed the ball over and above Manuel Neuer and into the netting at the end of a Lucas Hernandez cross. Les Bleues got a penalty of their own when Hummels bundled Matuidi inside the area. Griezmann slotted it home coolly and sealed the win for the Frenchmen.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the major talking points from the game.

#5 Joachim Low rolls the dice, springs a surprise

Low will be disappointed but has quite a few positives to take away from the game

After that 3-0 humbling at Amsterdam, Low gambled yet again and gave several of his usual starters a break. Low has shown a tendency to go with familiarity more often than not but this time, he made sure he chose effectiveness.

He made changes to the attacking line and made changes at the back, Kimmich playing centre-midfield and Sule and Hummels as the centre-backs.

And the young players afforded Germany to look completely different from their recent performances and provided balance as well. As a result, France were caught with the tail between their legs and looked disorganized and clueless as Germany kept on mounting attacks.

Too much space was often offered down the flanks as Leroy Sane and Werner played narrow and the wingbacks pushed up causing the man-marking roles the French were designated with to be thrown out the kitchen window. Schulz's performance as the left-back was impressive as well and should have convinced Low to choose the Hoffenheim player over an ageing Jonas Hector.

#4 Controversial penalty decisions

Kroos celebrates with Kimmich after scoring from the spot

Paul Pogba had the ball stolen from him by Joshua Kimmich and in the subsequent move, Leroy Sane turned on his afterburners and dragged Kimpembe to the edge of the area before attempting to drag the ball back to his teammates.

Kimpembe put in a brave challenge and stopped the ball. However, replays showed that the ball struck his arm. Kimpembe was just a yard away from Leroy Sane as the ball struck his arm and there was no way he could have got his hand out of the way in such a short window of time. The French centre-back has every right to feel hard done by that decision.

In the second half, Mbappe released Blaise Matuidi into the area and though Hummels put in an ill-timed tackle, he did not exactly hack Matuidi to the ground. Matuidi ended up stepping on Hummels' outstretched leg and lost his balance.

Though both weren't top-notch decisions, at least they evened it out.

#3 France's individual quality is their greatest strength

Pogba, Griezmann and Hernandez combined to score

Paul Pogba gave a good account of how his season's been going. One minute, he's picking out inch perfect passes and incisive through balls and in the next, he gets caught in possession unnecessarily and gives the ball away for the first German goal.

He got better in the second half and so did his midfield partner N'Golo Kante. Matuidi was all industry yet again and his labour bore fruit as he won the men in blue a penalty in the second half.

France's first goal was one that was made in Madrid as Lucas Hernandez slalomed his way into space and whipped one furiously into the head of Antoine Griezmann. The diminutive forward instinctively helped it on over Neuer and into the goal.

Griezmann's dispatching the penalty that they were awarded subsequently inspired confidence as well. On nights like these when the going gets tough, France has enough and more individual talent in their ranks to resort to for a moment of inspiration that change the game on its head.

#2 Germany flips the script and counter attacks

Germany definitely need to see a lot more of this man

Against Germany, it was expected that France would sit back and try to hit them on the counter. Well, France sat back but perplexed by Germany's shape and organization, they got stuck in the mud on more occasions than was pleasing to watch.

Led by the electric pace of Leroy Sane and Timo Werner and backed by Gnabry, Germany looked threatening every time they broke on the counter. In fact, Germany should have easily had comfort but the Manchester City man fluffed his lines when all he had to do was nudge the ball across the box to Timo Werner in a 2 on 1 situation.

But despite that, the German attack looked far more menacing than they have in the recent past and the decision to start the youngsters proved to be a welcome one for the Germans.

#1 Kylian Mbappe is surely taking over the world

He is just 19-years-old and the kid is already a nightmare for all defenders around the world. His pace is unreal. When Pogba or Griezmann pick out one of his runs and try to meet him halfway, Mbappe launches himself like a projectile and hurls himself in the direction of the pass.

To add to the pace, Mbappe's control of the ball and decision making are well beyond his age. It was he who played the cute through ball at the end of which France won a penalty.

Mbappe has his entire footballing life ahead of him and if he kicks on in the same vein, some records that we have given to Ronaldo and Messi for safekeeping won't remain so safe anymore.

Edited by Sripad