France need to find cutting edge at Euro 2024, says Deschamps

DORTMUND, Germany : France manager Didier Deschamps said his side need to sharpen up in front of goal at Euro 2024 but the knockout rounds will give them an opportunity for a fresh start after they ended their group stage campaign with a 1-1 draw with Poland on Tuesday.

France finished second in Group D with five points, behind surprise table-toppers Austria, booking their spot in the last 16 where they will face the runners-up in Group E, where Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine are all on three points.

Deschamps' side began their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Austria that came courtesy of an own goal, before they drew a blank in a 0-0 draw with the Netherlands and finished with Tuesday's draw in which Kylian Mbappe scored with a penalty.

Their lack of goals is a concern for Deschamps, who hopes they can rediscover the impressive scoring form they showed in qualifying.

"We need to score more goals, we need to be more clinical, and I am looking for that," Deschamps told reporters. "We can improve but that's it. We need to hit them where it hurts but we have always had a goal average that is quite impressive, for these three games it hasn't quite been there.

"But I am positive, I am always positive. It is a new competition starting for us."

France took the lead against already-eliminated Poland when Mbappe fired home from the penalty spot after Ousmane Dembele was brought down by a clumsy challenge in the area.

It was Mbappe's first European Championship goal as he made his return to the France side wearing a face mask after breaking his nose in their opener against Austria.

Deschamps said it was important for Mbappe to get back into action although, wearing a mask is causing the France captain some issues.

"I thought