France Edges Croatia in Thrilling Penalty Shootout to Reach UEFA Nations League Semifinals

France secured a dramatic 5-4 victory over Croatia in a penalty shootout at the Stade de France on Sunday night, advancing to the semifinals of the UEFA Nations League after a tense quarterfinal tie that ended 2-2 on aggregate. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan emerged as the hero, saving two spot-kicks to send the home crowd into raptures and keep Les Bleus’ hopes alive in the competition they won in 2021.

The second leg of this quarterfinal clash was a rollercoaster affair, with France overturning a 2-0 deficit from the first leg in Split. Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembélé scored crucial goals in regular time to level the aggregate score, forcing the match into extra time and, ultimately, a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.

Croatia had taken control of the tie on March 20 with a commanding 2-0 win at Stadion Poljud, courtesy of first-half strikes from Ante Budimir and Ivan Perišić. That result put France on the back foot, but Didier Deschamps’ side showed their mettle in front of a raucous home crowd. From the outset, Les Bleus pressed with intent, driven by the attacking flair of Kylian Mbappé and the relentless energy of Dembélé.

The breakthrough came in the 35th minute when Olise, the young Crystal Palace star, curled a stunning free kick into the top corner, leaving Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković with no chance. The Stade de France erupted, sensing a comeback was on the cards. France continued to dominate possession, but Croatia’s defense, marshaled by Joško Gvardiol and Luka Modrić’s experience, held firm until the 79th minute. That’s when Dembélé pounced, latching onto a pinpoint pass from Aurélien Tchouaméni to fire home the equalizer on aggregate, making it 2-0 on the night.

Despite chances at both ends, neither side could find a winner in extra time. Croatia’s resilience was evident as they absorbed wave after wave of French pressure, while France struggled to convert their dominance into a decisive blow. The match inevitably proceeded to penalties, a scenario that has historically favored Croatia, who reached the 2023 Nations League final via a shootout.

However, it was Maignan who stole the show. The AC Milan goalkeeper denied Croatia’s Kristijan Jakić and Duje Ćaleta-Car, while France converted four of their five attempts, with Mbappé, Tchouaméni, Olise, and Bradley Barcola all holding their nerve. Jules Koundé’s miss briefly gave Croatia hope, but Maignan’s second save sealed a 5-4 triumph in sudden death.

“We realized a very great performance,” Deschamps said post-match, as reported by Le Figaro. “The players showed incredible determination. We were convinced we could do it, and they proved it on the pitch.” The French coach praised his team’s resilience after a lackluster first-leg display, noting the improved cohesion and attacking intent that turned the tie around.