France vs Portugal: Thrilling Draw Leaves Group C Wide Open
Mbappé and Fernandes trade strikes as France and Portugal share the points in a Group C thriller.
A pulsating 1-1 draw between France and Portugal at SoFi Stadium has left Group C finely balanced with one round of matches remaining. Kylian Mbappé put France ahead with a trademark run and finish in the 34th minute, but Bruno Fernandes responded with a thunderous strike from outside the box to level the scores on 51 minutes.
Both sides pushed for the winner but could not be separated. The draw means France top the group on goal difference, with Portugal just one point behind. Both nations are likely to advance, but the permutations for third place remain complex.
Manager Didier Deschamps admitted the team needed to improve their defensive organisation, while Portugal's Roberto Martínez hailed the resilience of his squad. The final group matches will determine which team enters the knockout stage as group winners.