U-21 Euros: France battle back in thriller against Georgia
After going behind late on, France's U-21s battled back to snatch a crucial win in the European Championships, beating Georgia 3-2 to go top of their group. Read on for our recap of an action-filled encounter.
France control the match and take a halftime lead...
Manager Gérard Baticle set out his stall with no less than six Ligue 1 McDonald's players in his starting eleven. Guillaume Restes (Toulouse FC) was in goal, while Quentin Merlin (Olympique de Marseille) and Chrislain Matsima (AS Monaco) played in defence. The Strasbourg duo of Ismaël Doukouré and Félix Lemarechal played in midfield alongside Nantes' Lepenant, and with plenty of top-flight experience, Les Espoirs dominated the early going.
While it took France some time to establish an attacking rhythm, midway through the half, France were purring, albeit without success. Mathys Tel had a fine chance from close range, but was only able to find the left hand of the Georgian 'keeper, while Lucien Agoumé was denied with a header at a corner. Georgia's resistance was only temporary, though -- Tel was brought down in the area (34') and duly converted the spot kick, giving his side a 1-0 lead at the interval.
Les Bleuets mènent logiquement au score à la pause ⏸️
On revient dans 15min !
🇫🇷1-0🇬🇪 l #FRAGEO l #U21EURO pic.twitter.com/ha7nVlPP0S— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) June 14, 2025
.. but need late heroics from Lepenant and Barry!
The second half started out on a more even keel, with Restes making a strong save before the hour, and Georgia's persistence would envetually tell. Just moments after Matthis Abline (FC Nantes), on off the bench, had missed doubling the lead on a one-on-one, Giorgi Abuashvili drew his side level, and nine minutes later Georgia would take the lead. Saba Sazonov, who had earlier conceded the penalty against Tel, was left unmarked at the edge of the area, and put his side ahead with a header.
France were undeterred, though, and it was Lepenant who would level the score in the final minute of added time, slotting home from the right after Agoumé's cross. As the match entered extra time, France pushed hard for a winner, knowing that a draw meant their progress from the group could be in danger. In the second minute of added time, they thought they had one, as Thierno Barry turned in Merlin's cross, but VAR waved it offside. Barry would have his chance to play the hero shortly thereafter, though, stabbing home a lose ball in the 12th minute of extra time to seal a 3-2 win that allows Les Espoirs to stay level on points with Portugal atop Group C.
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