Former world champions, France, were made to fight hard from a 2-0 first-leg deficit before finally eliminating Croatia on penalties and move into the UEFA Nations League semi-finals.
Didier Deschamps’ side dominated the second leg but were unable to find the breakthrough in the first half despite creating a good number of chances, best of all by Bradley Barcola, who was denied by the Croatia keeper when put one-on-one just past the half-hour mark.
Les Bleus eventually found the back of the net seven minutes into the second half through Michael Olise, who went from scorer to provider with 10 minutes to go when he set up Ousmane Dembele to score the crucial second goal.
With no further goals in the closing minutes as well as in extra-time, France goalkeeper Mike Maignan proved the hero and spared the blushes of Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez as he saved Martin Baturina and Josip Stanisic’s efforts to send Les Blues into the Nations League last-four.
France will come up against reigning European champions, Spain, on June 5, at the MHPArena in Stuttgart, Germany for a place in the final.