France face needy Portugal at Euro 2020

Three points in the bag from the first outing against Hungary and 1-0 up against the Germans: it was looking good for Portugal after half an hour in Munich last Saturday. But then two own goals in four minutes just before half-time put them on the back foot. Strikes from Kai Havertz and Robin Gosens destroyed any hopes of a comeback.

Fernando Santos, who steered Portugal to the Euro 2016 trophy, takes his side into their final Group F game against France knowing defeat would lead to their elimination if Hungary beat Germany. Pool via REUTERS - ALEXANDER HASSENSTEIN

That eventual 4-2 defeat against Germany hovers menacingly over Portugal as they take on France in Budapest on Wednesday night.

The French sport four points after two Group F games and are into the last-16 knockout stages as - at worst - one of the best four third-placed teams.

But France, says boss Didier Deschamps, doesn’t want to go forward like that. They seek momentum and progress as Group F winners.

“We're guaranteed to be in the round of 16 and that gives us a certain calmness,” said Deschamps ahead of the clash.

Aim

“But our ambition is to get the best result possible that will have an impact on the standings and, incidentally, on our opponents.”

If Portugal were to lose and Hungary beat Germany, then Fernando Santos’ side would be eliminated.

Chances are though that the Germans will slice up the Hungarians. In that event, a draw would suffice to take Portugal through as one of the best third-placed teams. 

And that’s not such a bad omen. It was from that faltering position that Santos and his boys went on to lift the title in 2016 at the Stade de France at the expense of Deschamps’ team.

France's Didier Deschamps talking to Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappé during training in Budapest, June 18, 2021. FRANCK FIFE AFP

But the glory of that evening on 10 July seems far away. Portugal, who will be confronted by the speed of Kylian Mbappé and the guile of Karim Benzema, have to seal the cracks which repeatedly appeared during the German forays.

"We've analysed the Germany game and come to the conclusion we weren't playing the Portuguese brand of football,” said Santos. “Something is wrong if a team that has conceded three goals in a game only once in 58 games, suddenly concedes four for the first time.”

A neutral wag would say it’s perhaps the start of a trend while a nervous partisan would pray it was a one-off.

The reality will be on display at the Puskas Arena. Another deluge of goals conceded would be embarrassing but not necessarily fatal. 

So long as the Hungarians don't pull off a shock in Munich.