Wasteful finishing came back to haunt France in the European Championship final against Portugal on Sunday, with even tournament top scorer Antoine Griezmann missing his chances.
Ten years after losing on penalties to Italy in the World Cup final, France still has not learned to finish teams off when it really counts.
Despite being willed on by an entire country and a packed French crowd, France failed to come up with any original ideas against a stubborn Portugal defense rallied by unyielding defender Pepe.
Midway through the second half, Griezmann reached for Kingsley Coman’s cross from the left and headed over from a few meters out. Deep into injury time, substitute Andre-Pierre Gignac hit the post with the goal at his mercy.
“We didn’t have the luck of champions,” said Griezmann.
Although Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio made several good saves, including one outstanding leaping save from Griezmann’s looping header in the ninth minute and another athletic stop to palm away Moussa Sissoko’s long-range drive late on, his other stops were more comfortable.
Much of this was due to France’s lack of composure. As in the semifinal against Germany, France started brightly but could not sustain it, with passes too often going astray.
Coach Didier Deschamps said the team was physically “lacking freshness” and a lack of spontaneity invariably led to chances being snatched at.
Only when Coman came on nearing the hour mark did France play with urgency.
Within 20 minutes of entering the field, Coman had created four dangerous situations, including a run and cross in the 77th that Giroud somehow got in the way of when it appeared that Griezmann was getting it.
Everything about France’s shooting seemed hasty, as if they were relying on hope. At the final whistle, center half laurent Koscielny squatted on his knees, head down. But it was not the defense that let France down.