Netherlands 0-0 France – Euro 2024: Live score, team news and updates as Les Bleus continue to miss Kylian Mbappe as Antoine Griezmann squanders another chance during clash of the Group D heavyweights

SOFASCORE STATS: Netherlands 0-0 France

It wasn’t a classic by any stretch, was it?

These statistics tell the story practically, lots of half-chances, but not many that caused too many problems.

France huffed and puffed, but they just weren’t clinical enough. Antoine Griezmann was the main culprit for missing in big moments.

I think it’s fair to say, though, a draw was fair.

Player of the Match: Ngolo Kante

Now this has surprised me.

Look, Ngolo Kante is one hell of a player, and against Austria he was superb.

I wouldn’t say he was the best player on the pitch this evening, though, my vote goes to Xavi Simons.

To be honest, there weren’t many standouts, were there?

Fan Reaction: ‘A goal every day of the week’

Anonymous: VAR ruins a game, it was a goal every day of the week!

Should Simons’ strike have stood?

I’m going to answer my own question, yes?

The controversy of this goal will be talked about over the next few days. Why? Because the refereeing team was English.

VAR has been near enough immaculate so far this tournament, and today was the first time we truly saw it falter.

Denzel Dumfries was deemed offside when Xavi Simons struck the ball, but was he truly interfering with play?

What do you think?

Qualification secured

So, we have our first two teams in the knockout stages.

Yes, the game was the best we have ever seen, but in the end, neither side will really care.

You’d expect that both the Netherlands and France will go far in this competition, but going off that display, you never know.

Two down, 14 to go…

FULL-TIME: Netherlands 0-0 France

It’s taken a week, but we have our first stalemate of Euro 2024.

It’s not a match that will live long in the memory, but I’m sure Xavi Simons won’t forget it in a hurry.

He thought he had netted a potential winner for the Dutch 20 minutes from time, only for it to be controversially ruled out for offside.

I must admit, I think it was harsh, but the French will be happy Anthony Taylor and Stuart Atwell made the decision they did.

Both sides have now qualified for the round of 16, which means Poland are out.

Netherlands 0-0 France

This match is petering to an end.

One last chance for France to attack, they have to put all hands to the pump now.

Netherlands 0-0 France

If one side is going to get a winner, it looks like it will be France.

They are starting to flow forward with regularity, the Netherlands can’t get out of their own area.

The Dutch have three minutes to hold on.

FIVE added minutes

Now five minutes is enough for a winner, right?

Will we get one? Probably not, well, it doesn’t feel like it.

Prove me wrong.

Netherlands 0-0 France

Adrien Rabiot, you have to do better there.

The French midfielder is away down the left and just needs to play the ball across goal for Antoine Griezmann to finish.

But he overcooks it and the move comes to an abrupt end…

Netherlands 0-0 France

It’s not going to happen, is it?

The ball is floated to the back stick in the Dutch box, Olivier Giroud meets it but can’t pick out Antoine Griezmann in the middle.

The Netherlands are just about keeping France at bay, they have defended very well at times tonight.

Netherlands 0-0 France

I feel like we are about to get our first stalemate of the tournament.

There are seven minutes plus added time for a winner from either side, but let’s be honest, it doesn’t look like coming.

That Xavi Simons disallowed goal was the moment.

SUBSTITUTION: Netherlands 0-0 France

Here we go, Wout Weghorst time is upon us.

The Dutch striker scored a stoppage-time winner against Poland and he has now entered the action, replacing Memphis Depay.

Can he do it again?

Netherlands 0-0 France

The momentum of this game has suddenly shifted in the Netherlands’ favour.

It seems the anger of seeing a goal ruled out controversially is spurring them on.

Gini Wijnaldum wins a free-kick, and the resulting set-piece goes out for a corner.

Virgil van Dijk time?

SUBSTITUTION: Netherlands 0-0 France

To make matters worse for Xavi Simons, not only has his goal been ruled out, but he is now being hooked.

Gini Wijnaldum is on in his place, which to me is a surprising change from Ronald Koeman.

France also look to the bench. Both Kingsley Comand and Olivier Giroud enter the fray for Marcus Thuram and Ousmane Dembele.

Still no Kylian Mbappe.

VAR: NO GOAL!

Wow, they’ve chalked it off.

I am in disbelief. Xavi Simons fires home on the rebound after a good save by Mike Maignan, but it’s been ruled out.

The reason is due to Denzel Dumfires’ position, but he is not involved in play whatsoever.

I’m shocked that it’s not been given.

VAR CHECKING GOAL…

This check is taking some time.

There is a player in an offside position as Xavi Simons strikes the ball home, but he is next to the goalkeeper and not interfering with play.

Guess which countries the referees are from…

GOAL!!! Netherlands 1-0 France (Simons 69′)

Xavi Simons against the run of play!

Oh hang on, VAR are checking for offside…

This would be very harsh.

Netherlands 0-0 France

France are getting closer and closer.

Ousmane Dembele is the next player to get his chance, and he fires it over the bar from the edge of the box.

France have just not been clinical enough today, they should be out of sight.

WHAT A MISS! Netherlands 0-0 France

How has Antoine Griezmann missed, what has happened to the Frenchman?

Ngolo Kante slides the ball into the striker and he is just six yards from goal, he has to score.

But once again he loses his footing and tamely slides the ball wide via a touch from the glove of Bart Verbruggen.

France will rue these missed chances if they don’t find a winner.

CLOSE! Netherlands 0-0 France

Ooooh, now we are talking.

Aurelien Tchouameni leaps like a salmon to rise above the Dutch defence, and he meets a corner with a strong head.

The connection is good, the power is good, but the ball dips just over the bar.

We are getting closer!

Netherlands 0-0 France

Ousmane Dembele tries to inspire the French fans to start making some noise.

The atmosphere has been rather flat so far in this second half, and so has the football.

Netherlands 0-0 France

Marcus Thuram tries to take matters into his own hands.

He collects the ball under a lot of pressure and decides to pull the trigger on the edge of the area.

It’s not a bad effort, but it does fly wide of the mark.

Netherlands 0-0 France

Adrien Rabiot has just sent the ball toward the moon.

Ok, that may be harsh, it’s a tough chance as the cross comes into him. He takes it first time on the bounce and it flies over the bar.

I just like making the moon joke when I can.

Netherlands 0-0 France

That’s a lovely bit of play by Xavi Simons.

He drives at the France defence and on the way gets clipped by Ousmane Dembele to earn a free-kick in a strong position.

Memphis Depay looks set to take… it hits the wall. A very poor set-piece.

Netherlands 0-0 France

That moment of magic looks a long way off going by that Ngolo Kante effort.

It’s not often the former Chelsea man pulls the trigger, and maybe it should stay that way.

Kante is some way out and blasts it miles over, not his finest moment.

Netherlands 0-0 France

I was praising Ousmane Dembele for his pace, but the same cannot be said about the speed of this game.

France are just passing it around at a walking pace, there is no intent whatsoever.

This match needs a moment of magic.

Netherlands 0-0 France

Phoar, Ousmane Dembele is a pacy boy, isn’t he?

Too pacy for his own good, he glides past Nathan Ake on the right but running at full pelt he overruns the ball.

I admire the speed, but not the skill.

SECOND HALF: Netherlands 0-0 France

Right, it’s time to get going again.

There have been no changes at the break, and France get the ball rolling once more.

Can either side break the deadlock?

‘Both teams have been sloppy’

Wayne Rooney, former England striker, on BBC One:

I think both teams have been a bit sloppy. That final pass has to be a bit cleaner and then I’m sure we’ll see some goals.If you’ve got a midfield player who’s trying to step out then I’d always try to step into that space. If Griezmann does that then I think he’ll have a lot of space.

Time for Mbappe?

France have been impressive, but surely this is a match for Kylian Mbappe.

If he was in Adrien Rabiot’s position earlier, it’s 1-0 France, so I’d be tempted to bring him on sooner rather than later if I was Didier Deschamps.

But I’m not, so I guess we will have to wait and see.

WATCH: Rabiot and Griezmann fluff their lines

I’m still in disbelief watching this sitter now.

Antoine Griezmann may get the brunt of the criticism, but why Adrien Rabiot didn’t shoot, I just don’t know.

Rabiot was through, he just had to slide it past Bart Verbruggen in goal, so why did he pass.

Yes, Griezmann then should do better, but Rabiot’s ball isn’t the best, is it?

An all-round poor portion of play.

HALF-TIME: Netherlands 0-0 France

And there goes the whistle.

The scoreline does not tell the story of this match so far, there have been chances at both ends.

France will probably feel more arrived that they are not in front, how Adrien Rabiot and Antoine Griezmann both didn’t find the back of the net I’ll never know.

They didn’t, though, and neither did the Dutch. There is plenty more to play for in this one.

ONE added minute

Do they just always decide to only add one minute?

It feels like there have only been 60 seconds of first-half stoppage time in every match.

Well, there is only that amount of time here too.

Netherlands 0-0 France

Oh dear, the Netherlands fans are being stupid.

Antoine Griezmann goes over to take a corner and is greeted by a number of flying objects.

There is no place for that in football, very poor from the Dutch supporters.

Netherlands 0-0 France

Naughty Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutch captain snaps at the heels of Ousmane Dembele who goes down eventually.

The free-kick is just outside the area, and Antoine Griezmann is standing over it…

The wall does its job. Anti-climactic.