Resurgent France face stiff Spain test
>>MILAN: France have got their groove back as they prepare for the Nations League final against Spain on the back of a thrilling comeback win over Belgium which helped ease the pain of a poor Euro 2020.
Down by two goals at half-time on Thursday following quickfire strikes from Yannick Carrasco and Romelu Lukaku, a demoralising run of results and performances appeared set to continue in Turin.
However, driven by an exceptional display by Kylian Mbappe on his 50th France appearance, Les Bleus fought back to level and in a thrilling finale Theo Hernandez crashed home the last-minute winner which set up an exciting final at the San Siro today.
The Nations League might not be anywhere near as important as the World Cup or the Euro but the wild celebrations among the players and small pocket of France fans at the Allianz Stadium showed just how good it felt to play like world champions again.
Asked where the win ranked on the list of his triumphs as France coach, Didier Deschamps said it was “one of the best”.
“We had one of the best, if not the best... but despite everything, and in a difficult situation we had both quality and pride, character when things don’t go our way,” he told reporters.
Thursday’s win in Deschamps’ old stomping ground of Turin felt like catharsis following a fraught summer marked by the last-16 elimination from the Euro at the hands of Switzerland.
Mbappe in particular put in the sort of performance that banished memories of the penalty miss that cost France against the Swiss.
France now head to Milan with a new spring in their step, confident that they can see off a Spain side which stopped Italy’s record run of matches without defeat at 37 with a 2-1 win on Wednesday.
The manner with which a Spanish side containing the youthful likes of 17-year-old Gavi swaggered around the San Siro at times on Wednesday suggested that La Roja have genuine hope of success not just for the future, but also right now.