France dramatically completed a terrific UEFA Nations League comeback over Croatia as they reached the semi-finals with a 5-4 penalty-shootout win following a 2-0 quarter-final second-leg victory and 2-2 aggregate draw at the Stade de France.
Trailing 2-0 in the tie after an abysmal first-leg display, France unsurprisingly came out all guns blazing at their headquarters, but a combination of wastefulness and staunch Croatian defending led to a goalless first half.
From Les Bleus' 12 attempts in the opening 45 minutes, only one was on target, as Bradley Barcola was played clean through on goal by Michael Olise but shot straight at Dominik Livakovic in a one-on-one situation.
However, there was nothing that Livakovic could do when Olise sent a marvellous free kick into the top corner at the start of the second half, before Ousmane Dembele's smart first-time finish dragged Didier Deschamps's men level on aggregate and forced extra time.
Zlatko Dalic's dogged men remarkably held out to take the second leg to a penalty shootout, which dramatically went to sudden death thanks to a fatal miss from Theo Hernandez, but after Mike Maignan denied Josip Stanisic from the spot, Dayot Upamecano's conversion sent France to the final four.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
We told you this would happen.
France could hardly have produced a more insipid display than they did in Thursday's first leg, and with Deschamps going gung-ho with a fearsome quartet of Olise, Dembele, Barcola and Kylian Mbappe, Les Bleus inevitably did all of the attacking.
Olise and Dembele ran the show for the hosts inside the opening 90 minutes, where Croatia's plan to simply hold what they had was effective for the first 45 minutes, but it only seemed like a matter of time before Deschamps's men broke through the barricade.
Even if it took a moment of magic from Olise, Les Bleus' deadlock-breaker was more than merited, and only a couple of heroic saves from Livakovic prevented Mbappe from winning the tie in extra time.
However, the Croatia goalkeeper agonisingly failed to keep out both Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni's spot kicks in the shootout, and even though Hernandez's failed effort added to the drama a little bit, it only delayed France's deserved progression.
FRANCE VS. CROATIA HIGHLIGHTS
38th min: France 0-0 Croatia (Barcola miss)
A golden chance to break the deadlock goes begging for France!
The ever-inventive Olise picks out the run of Barcola through the centre, and the Paris Saint-Germain winger seems certain to score, but Croatia number one Livakovic makes himself big and brilliantly denies him.
52nd min: France 1-0 Croatia (Michael Olise)
Lift-off for Les Bleus!
Mbappe wins a free kick right on the edge of the Croatia penalty area, and Olise whips a wonderful effort over the Croatia wall and into the back of the net past a flat-footed Livakovic.
France are halfway there to the comeback!
80th min: France 2-0 Croatia (Ousmane Dembele)
© Imago
France are all the way there to the comeback!
Of all people, Luka Modric misplaces a pass - although the interception from William Saliba is top-notch - and the hosts are on the attack again as Olise, Dembele and Mbappe all exchange passes in the right half-space.
Olise then gets to the byline and cuts back for Dembele, who takes on the shot first time and sweeps a brilliant right-footed strike across goal and into the bottom corner!
Penalties: France 0-0 Croatia (Martin Baturina miss)
Martin Baturina bravely steps up to take the first penalty and gets a decent connection on the ball, but Maignan springs to his right and pushes the ball away!
Penalties: France 2-1 Croatia (Franjo Ivanovic miss)
France can almost taste the semi-final! Franjo Ivanovic steps up to take the next penalty for Croatia and goes for power, but he blazes his effort over the top!
Penalties: France 2-1 Croatia (Jules Kounde miss)
A carbon copy of Ivanovic's spot kick! Jules Kounde approaches the 12-yard mark but also fails to keep his effort down, and Croatia are just about alive.
Penalties: France 3-2 Croatia (Theo Hernandez miss)
Oh my goodness! Theo Hernandez has the chance to send France through, but the AC Milan left-back curls his crucial penalty just over the top. Sudden death time!
Penalties: France 4-4 Croatia (Stanisic miss)
France are on the brink again, as Stanisic's goes low to Maignan's left, but the goalkeeper is equal to it!
Penalties: France 5-4 Croatia (Upamecano goal)
Let the bedlam begin! Upamecano refuses to make the same mistake that Hernandez did, placing his penalty high into the goal with the aid of the crossbar as Les Bleus advance to the last eight.
MAN OF THE MATCH - MICHAEL OLISE
© Iconsport
Not always one to let his emotions take over - especially off the field - France wing wizard Olise had every right to scream to the heavens in a good way, as the Bayern Munich hotshot inspired the hosts' fightback.
Olise's sublime free kick preceded a crisp cutback for Dembele, one of five chances that the former Crystal Palace man created on an evening where he also completed three successful dribbles.
FRANCE VS. CROATIA MATCH STATS
Possession: France 62%-38% Croatia
Shots: France 28-5 Croatia
Shots on target: France 8-0 Croatia
Corners: France 16-0 Croatia
Fouls: France 14-24 Croatia
BEST STATS
Chances created in first half:
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) March 23, 2025
4 — Michael Olise
2 — Croatia pic.twitter.com/Xd4JSsF2iT
WHAT NEXT?
Once the party comes to an end, France will start preparing for a blockbuster semi-final with Spain next June, while they will also enter Group D of the UEFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers alongside Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Iceland.
As for a dejected Croatia, Dalic's men will at least be the favourites to finish top of World Cup Qualifying Group L, where they will slot in alongside the Czech Republic, Montenegro, the Faroe Islands and Gibraltar.
Ben Knapton
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