BERLIN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- France claimed the UEFA Nations League bronze medal in Stuttgart on Saturday, defeating Germany 2-0 in a match defined by clinical finishing and a noticeable drop in intensity from the host in the second half.
Julian Nagelsmann's team started strongly following its semi-final defeat to Portugal, playing high up the pitch and attacking with purpose.
Within the first six minutes, Niclas Fullkrug, Leon Goretzka and Karim Adeyemi all had chances to score, while Niklas Woltemade was denied by Mike Maignan in a one-on-one. Adeyemi later thought he had won a penalty, but VAR overturned the decision after a lengthy review.
Despite being under siege for much of the opening half, France remained composed. Didier Deschamps, who had made several changes following the 5-4 defeat to Spain, trusted captain Kylian Mbappe to provide the spark, and the superstar delivered. Just before half-time, he shook off Joshua Kimmich and slotted the ball in off the post following a precise cross from Aurelien Tchouameni.
Germany appeared to have equalized early in the second half when Deniz Undav scored from Fullkrug's pass, but the goal was disallowed for a foul in the build-up.
From then on, the momentum gradually shifted away from the home side. While Germany struggled to recreate its first-half tempo, France grew into the match and increasingly threatened on the counter.
Marcus Thuram hit the post and tested Marc-Andre ter Stegen before Mbappe made the difference again. In the 84th minute, the French captain capitalized on a Robin Koch error and squared for Michael Olise to seal the victory.
Nagelsmann introduced Tom Bischof late on, offering a glimpse into Germany's future, but ultimately, the evening belonged to France.
"If you look at the chances we had and the way we played, the result feels harsh. We saw our true team again in the first half, but when you create four or five clear-cut chances, you simply must take the lead. Overall, there were a lot of positives. The result didn't help, but the performance certainly did," said Nagelsmann. ■
