France earned a crucial victory over the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday evening, although it wasn’t without struggle.
Les Bleus emerged as 1-0 winners, with Benjamin Pavard scoring a magnificent goal at the beginning of the second half, which secured three valuable points for his team.
Pavard, who plays for Bayern Munich, appears to be incapable of scoring ordinary goals.
Video: Pavard’s rocket for France vs Ireland
Another Benjamin Pavard screamer for France 🚀
(via @FOXSoccer)pic.twitter.com/iutWLIFwtH
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 27, 2023
🔥 Benjamin Pavard pic.twitter.com/r3RuZ04WSw
— Trivela Sports (@trivelasports_) March 27, 2023
After a dominant 4-0 victory over the Netherlands in their previous match, Didier Deschamps’ French side has now won their first two Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Mike Maignan’s crucial intervention against Ireland helped secure the win for France and maintain their perfect start to the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
The goalkeeper, who has now become the nation’s undisputed number one following Hugo Lloris’ retirement, made one of the saves of the season to deny the hosts a late equalizer.
Nathan Collins’ well-directed header from a corner appeared to be heading for the back of the net, but Maignan had other ideas.
The AC Milan shot-stopper threw himself to the right and produced a remarkable save, which enabled France to clear their lines and preserve their lead.
It is difficult to recall any better saves in Europe so far this campaign.
Video: Maignan’s incredible save to secure France’s 1-0 win over Ireland
MIKE MAIGNAN c’est le sang, il nous sauve pic.twitter.com/EAWnGh1QRo
— Flo (@LeFlofloo) March 27, 2023
Mike Maignan with a ridiculous save in the 90th minute 🤯
(via @FOXSoccer)pic.twitter.com/kKg9Xnjac3
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 27, 2023
Indeed, Maignan’s incredible save against Ireland was a demonstration of his impressive athleticism, reflexes, and shot-stopping abilities.
It was a reminder that he is now one of the best goalkeepers in the business, having established himself as the first-choice keeper for France and also excelling at club level with AC Milan.
Maignan’s impressive performances in both Serie A and Ligue 1 have established him as one of the top goalkeepers in Europe.
His presence in the French national team makes them an even more formidable opponent for their rivals in Euro 2024. Maignan played a crucial role in AC Milan’s title-winning campaign in the 2021/22 season, earning a place in the Team of the Year and the Serie A Best Goalkeeper award.
He also played a key role in Lille’s surprise Ligue 1 title win in 2020/21, showcasing his consistency at the highest level.