By Martin Petty
DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) – Substitute Randal Kolo Muani scored with five minutes left to send twice-winners France through to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on Monday after beating a disappointing Belgium 1-0.
France will meet the winner of Monday’s match between Portugal and Slovenia in the quarter-finals in Hamburg on Friday.
With the game looking like it was headed for extra time, Kolo Muani picked up a ball from N’Golo Kante and fired a shot that deflected off Jan Vertonghen past keeper Koen Casteels.
France were in control for most of the match, with Tchouameni and Marcus Thuram finding chances on both sides of halftime and Kylian Mbappe quick-footed and threatening. Belgium could have won the game late on, with Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne forcing good saves from French goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
(Reporting by Martin Petty; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
