France 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Griezmann scores but hosts are held

France 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Antoine Griezmann scores for his country a day after sealing return to Atletico Madrid… but the world champions are HELD in qualifier following Edin Dzeko’s opener

  • Edin Dzeko gave Bosnia and Herzegovina a shock lead in the 36th minute 
  • Antoine Griezmann headed the world champions level just three minutes later
  • Jules Kounde saw red for a tackle which forced Arsenal’s Sead Kolasinac off 
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina had much of the late possession but it finished level 

France were held to a disappointing 1-1 home draw by Bosnia after playing almost half the game with 10 men in a World Cup Group D qualifier on Wednesday.

Nine weeks after their shock loss to Switzerland in the last 16 of Euro 2020, the world champions had Antoine Griezmann to thank for a quick equaliser after Edin Dzeko had put the visitors ahead in the first half.

Didier Deschamps’s side had Jules Kounde sent off for a rough tackle early in the second half on Sead Kolasinac. 

Antoine Griezmann equalised for France in the 39th minute as they drew on Wednesday night

The forward, who sealed a return to Atletico Madrid on deadline day, celebrates his goal 

Edin Dzeko had earlier given Bosnia and Herzegovina a lead in Strasbourg with a low strike 

The visiting captain celebrates his first-half opener in the World Cup qualifier

France defender Jules Kounde saw red early in the second-half following a VAR review 

Sead Kolasinac, of Arsenal, was forced off injured as a result of Kounde’s nasty tackle 

France: Lloris, Kounde, Varane, Kimpembe, Digne, Veretout (Dubois 54), Pogba, Lemar (Tchouameni 51), Benzema (Martial 76), Griezmann (Coman 76), Mbappe (Diaby 90) 

Subs: Kante, Maignan, Zouma, Mandanda, Hernandez, Lenglet

Goals: Griezmann 39 

Booked: Veretout 

Sent-off: Kounde 51  

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Sehic, Hadzikadunic, Ahmedhodzic, Sanicanin, Susic (Cipetic 64), Hadziahmetovic, Pjanic, Cimirot (Loncar 72), Kolasinac (Civic 54), Demirovic (Prevljak 72), Dzeko

Subs: Krunic, Piric,, Gojak, Nalic, Kovacevic, Vasilj, Jovicic, Stevanovic, 

Goals: Dzeko 36 

Booked: Hadziahmetovic

Referee: Sandro Scharer (Switzerland)

 

And although the visitors dominated possession, they had to be content with sharing the points at Strasbourg’s La Meinau stadium.  

France remained unbeaten in four games and lead the group with eight points, four ahead of Ukraine who were held to a 2-2 draw in Kazakhstan earlier on Wednesday.

The French next face Ukraine away on Saturday before hosting Finland next Tuesday while Bosnia, who are fourth on two points from three matches, take on Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

France started with an intense pressing game, but Bosnia threatened through Miralem Pjanic and Dzeko, who opened the scoring from just inside the box with a low shot that went between the legs of Presnel Kimpembe on 36 minutes.

Dzeko’s 60th goal in his 115th international was cancelled out three minutes later when Griezmann’s attempted header from Kylian Mbappe’s corner took a deflection off Dennis Hadzikadunic’s thigh and went into the net.

A VAR review confirmed the ball had gone past the line and Les Bleus were fortunate to reach the interval level at 1-1.

It became even harder for France when Kounde was shown a straight red card after a VAR review for a brutal tackle on Sead Kolasinac five minutes into the second half.

Midfielder Jordan Veretout made way for full back Leo Dubois and although France continued to enjoy the majority of possession, they proved too clumsy in the area with Mbappe and Karim Benzema struggling to gel as a partnership.

Deschamps added fresh legs 14 minutes from time by replacing Griezmann and Benzema with Kingsley Coman and Anthony Martial, but they failed to conjure up a French winner. 




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