France0 - 0Belgium

Good afternoon! Thank you for tuning into Sports Mole's live text commentary of France versus Belgium in the last 16 of Euro 2024.

The neighbouring nations meet in Dusseldorf, having both underwhelmed en route to the knockout phase.

In the group stage, they only secured second-place finishes due to final-day draws: France captain Kylian Mbappe finally broke his Euros duck at the third time of trying, but Les Bleus were still held to 1-1 by Poland in Group D; meanwhile, Belgium played out a goalless draw with Ukraine in Group E, where all four sides finished on the same amount of points.

Nevertheless, today's winners will go on to meet either Portugal or Slovenia in the quarter-finals.

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60 min

At the traditional hour mark, the time seems ripe for some substitutions. None appear to be on their way just yet, but Tedesco must surely be thinking of some changes; Deschamps, too.

58 min

Somehow, Doku extracts himself from a sticky situation: penned into the corner, near his own area, the winger's fleet footwork buys a free kick off Kounde. He took a risk there, but it payed off.

56 min

Not for the first time, Kounde advances to the right edge of the area, and his ball sets up Mbappe. However, the latter can't control his shot, which skips well wide of the left-hand post.

54 min

CLOSE! Mbappe almost breaks the deadlock! The France captain weaves in from the left at top speed, leaving several defenders in his wake, but his dipping shot zips narrowly over the crossbar! Brilliant stuff from Les Bleus' skipper!

52 min

It's 'as you were', then. France have resumed their dominance of both ball and territory since half time, with Belgium meekly sitting back and vainly hoping to strike on the break.

50 min

CHANCE! After an underwhelming set-piece situation, France recover the ball and then deliver it from the left towards Thuram at the near post. Again, the Inter Milan striker fails to connect correctly, and it comes off the top of his shoulder before flying well over the crossbar.

48 min

SAVE! Tchouameni tries his luck again, but Casteels is equal to it! The midfielder's dominant display continues, following a fine first half, as he strides forward and curls a shot towards the bottom-right corner: Belgium's goalkeeper tips it away!

46 min

KICKOFF: No personnel changes for either side during half time, and Belgium get us back under way in Dusseldorf.

5.58pm

Look who's been watching the stands. Someone who played a major role in the 2018 World Cup clash between these two nations. Will victory go the way of France again today?

5.53pm

For all their promise, France have now failed to score a first-half goal in three of their four games at Euro 2024, and no team has done so more often to this point of the tournament.

Indeed, Belgium have done the same.....So is it too early to call extra time and penalties?

5.50pm

Yet to fully ignite, this tense last-16 clash is still goalless at the break, with France unable to turn their dominance into a tangible advantage.

Meanwhile, Belgium will merely be glad that they remain on level terms, having failed to lay a glove on Les Bleus thus far - despite fielding several of their best forwards.

5.47pm

HALF TIME: FRANCE 0-0 BELGIUM

45+1 min

CLOSE! Right at the end of the half, Tchouameni again misses the target. Following persistent play by Mbappe on the left flank, the ball falls nicely for his new Real Madrid teammate; however, the subsequent shot is drilled about three feet over the top.

45 min

As France continue penning their opponents in, the officials indicate that just one minute of first-half stoppage time will be played.

43 min

Thuram just can't reach the ball when Griezmann ends another clever passage of play by clipping a cute pass over the top. Casteels claims it, but Belgium are merely hanging on for half time here.

41 min

France are now totally on top in Dusseldorf, where Belgium have again dropped deep. Even Openda and Lukaku are back inside their defensive third - they're all chasing shadows at the moment.

39 min

CLOSE! At the end of a long French build-up, Tchouameni spots a chance to shoot from mid-range, but his power-packed effort rises just over the top-right corner.

36 min

The Euro 2024 'Food Wars' continue...

34 min

CLOSE! Again, Kounde advances down the right, and he delivers a dangerous ball to the near post. Thuram arrives to meet it with a well-timed leap, but his header zips narrowly wide of the right-hand post!

32 min

A pretty woeful cross from the left by Hernandez sails straight over the byline and out for a goal kick to Belgium. For all their possession, Les Bleus have produced just one shot on target today.

30 min

France have had 58% of the ball so far, which demonstrates just how much they were on top in the early stages. It's developing into a much more even affair now, though.

28 min

Carrasco has a volleyed shot blocked in the box, and there's no doubt that the Belgium have brightened up over the past 10 minutes or so. It had been a rather subdued start from the Red Devils.

26 min

A pause in play for an injury to Doku allows both managers to give out some tactical instruction, and the players take on drinks, too. Fortunately, the Belgian winger is ultimately fit enough to return.

25 min

YELLOW CARD! The referee is starting to dish cards out freely now: Rabiot is booked for fouling Doku and will miss a potential quarter-final with either Portugal or Slovenia.

24 min

SAVE! From a free kick on the left side of the box, De Bruyne curls the ball towards the centre of the goal. Maignan sees it late, then scrambles it away to safety with a very unorthodox stop! He hacks it away with his legs!

22 min

YELLOW CARD! Doku jinks in from the left, driving towards the edge of the area. With Kounde caught on his heels, Griezmann drops back to help out and clips the Manchester City winger. That's a booking - and a rather harsh one.

20 min

With a wildly optimistic effort, Rabiot thumps a 30-yarder high and wide of the target. There was no pressure on the ball, so he felt entitled to have a go - surely the wrong option, though.

19 min

It's quite surprising just how passively Belgium have started this match, perhaps paying their old rivals a little bit too much respect. They've barely laid a glove on Les Bleus thus far.

17 min

CHANCE! France continue to press for an opening goal: Thuram arrives in front of his marker at the near post, only to steer a header from Griezmann's corner well wide of the target.

15 min

YELLOW CARD! After France are mistakenly denied a corner kick, Tchouameni protests a little too long and too loudly, so he receives the game's first booking. He'll have to tread carefully from now on.

14 min

After Hernandez lays a short pass off to Mbappe on the left side of the area, the France captain lashes an angled shot towards goal. It takes a deflection and flies wide, but the referee somehow misses the Belgian defender's touch and awards a goal kick instead.

12 min

Griezmann and Kounde cleverly combine on the right flank, and the ball is cut back into the box by the latter, only to evade every French player. A real moment of concern for the Belgians there.

10 min

Allowed to travel through midfield and towards the edge of Belgium's area, Griezmann eyes up a shot. However, his 20-yard effort is sent bobbling low along the turf, and Casteels comfortably gathers it.

8 min

This is just the second time Openda and Lukaku have started together for their national team, and it seems a curious point of the tournament to experiment. Will Tedesco's tinkering pay off, though?

6 min

France are enjoying their first sustained spell of pressure, but it all dies out when Thuram tries to win a free kick from Theate on the right byline and his claims are quickly dismissed by the referee.

4 min

Interestingly, six players that started the 2018 World Cup semi-final between these nations also start in Germany today: Mbappe, Kante and Griezmann for France; De Bruyne, Lukaku and Vertonghen for Belgium.

2 min

Early on, France put a half-chance wide, as Rabiot prods the ball several yards to the left of Casteels' goal. It was a tough volley to execute, in all fairness to the Juventus midfielder.

1 min

KICKOFF: France kick off, and we are under way in Dusseldorf!

5.00pm

With a place in the final eight at stake, France - wearing white shirts and blue shorts - and Belgium, clad in dark red and black, are both ready to kick off this last-16 clash. Game on!

4.58pm

Stirring stuff! Both teams have belted out their national anthems with great gusto. The waiting is nearly over.

4.56pm

The teams are out on the pitch, and kickoff is now just moments away! Anthems coming up....

4.54pm

Belgium suffered 2018 World Cup heartbreak against France, losing 1-0 to Les Bleus in the semis, and they were more recently beaten 3-2 in a 2021 Nations League semi-final. Many stars from those games have since departed the stage, so will a different script be written by Tedesco's team today?

4.52pm

Belgium's record goalscorer is ready to roll. Cue 'Big Rom'......

4.50pm

While France went through the entire group stage without scoring a single goal from open play - having 47 attempts and creating 5.93 xG without success - Belgium have failed to find the net in two of their three games so far. Surely two teams packed with such proven quality can't let us down again today?

4.48pm

Having both underperformed in relation to their seeding, France or Belgium will have several substantial hurdles to clear just to reach the final: even after advancing today, not only could Portugal await in the quarters, but Germany and Spain are also in the same part of the draw...

4.46pm

Leandro Trossard has been demoted to the bench today, but quite how the Red Devils will line up remains to be seen. Perhaps a 4-1-3-2, or maybe Openda and Doku starting either side of Lukaku in an attacking triumvirate?

4.44pm

Making two changes today, Domenico Tedesco seems to have gone for an attacking Belgium XI: Lois Openda and Yannick Carrasco come in, joining Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku in the final third.