Portugal 0-0 France - Goalkeepers shine at the 2025 UEFA European U17 Championship | OneFootball

Portugal and France drew 0-0 in an entertaining clash at the 2025 UEFA European U17 Championship.

José Neto tested Ilan Jourdren but France got on top before the break, Djylian N'Guessan denied by Romário Cunha on two occasions.

Bino Maçães’ side dominated after the break, the best chance falling to Anísio Cabral who couldn’t direct Duarte Cunha’s cross on target. The contest swung back and forth, Portugal ending on top but unable to break the deadlock.

The result means Portugal have to avoid defeat against Germany to seal a spot in the semi-finals.

Tight first half

Portugal had the first opportunity of the match following a cleared corner. Mateus Mide headed the ball back into the box where José Neto fired an acrobatic effort that forced a save from Ilan Jourdren.

France got into the game and created their first chance in the 33rd minute when Rémi Himbert shot high and wide. Djylian N'Guessan looked certain to score after pouncing on a loose touch from Romário Cunha, the goalkeeper recovering to make an important save.

N'Guessan went close again when he cut inside from the left wing and tested Cunha. Elikya Legros and Kyllian Antonio picked up bookings before the break which was welcomed by Bino Maçães and his side.

Portugal get on top

Portugal had a promising start to the second half, José Neto and Anísio Cabral firing over the bar with Cunha on hand at the other end to tip Paul Eymard’s shot over the bar.

Two more chances fell to Cabral, the striker unable to direct Duarte Cunha’s cross on target before heading Mateus Mide’s cross wide.

Steven Manuel then got in on the action, heading José Neto’s deflected cross straight at Jourdren and firing a low drive that was comfortably collected by the increasingly busy goalkeeper.

Game opens up

Both managers made substitutions in the 72nd minute, Bino Maçães bringing on Yoan Pereira and Tomás Soares for Duarte Cunha and Mateus Mide, Lionel Rouxel replacing Believe Munongo and Rémi Himbert with Sanah Camara and Milan Leccese.

France weathered the storm and began to exert some pressure. N'Guessan headed Ilyas Azizi’s free kick over the bar, Leccese saw his shot blocked and Azizi missed the target.

The game opened up as fatigue set in, Maçães making two more changes in the 77th minute when Manuel and Cabral made way for Gil Neves and João Aragão.

Sanah Camara had a great chance that was blocked by Martim Chelmik as Portugal ended the contest in the ascendancy. Soares fired a low drive wide and went close to getting onto the end of Aragão’s cross, but there would be no goals scored in Tirana.

Group A to go all the way

Bino Maçães made six changes to the side that started in the 4-0 win against Albania with three of them in defence, Daniel Banjaqui, Martim Chelmik and José Neto coming in for Gabriel Dbouk, Ricardo Neto and Yoan Pereira.

Bernardo Lima, Duarte Cunha and Stevan Manuel started in place of Martim Guedes, Gil Neves and João Aragão as Maçães switched from a 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 formation.

Banjaqui showed plenty of promise in the first half and Maçães has three solid options in central defence following Chelmik’s strong showing in his first start at the tournament.

Both teams enjoyed sustained periods of pressure with the goalkeepers playing important roles in keeping clean sheets. Portugal can hold their heads high and will need to stay confident before a crunch clash against Germany on Sunday.

The Equipa das Quinas have to avoid defeat to secure a spot in the semi-finals.

Quotes

Martim Chelmik: “We knew it was going to be a very difficult and competitive game and it would demand the best of us. We went in with everything, without fear of making mistakes, we pressed and gave everything we had.

“On the other side we had a very competent team. It only depended on ourselves to move forward. We want to win against Germany, even though we know that one point is enough for us.”

José Neto: “We left with the feeling that we could have scored at least one goal, we tried our best, we gave everything. Unfortunately it didn't happen, but we are already focused on achieving victory in the next game.

“We go into the last game with the thought that we have to win. It's a match against a very strong team, Germany, but our mentality has to always be the same, to win.”

Bino Maçães: “First of all, I want to congratulate the players because they had a spectacular attitude. It was an extraordinary game of football, at this age both teams performed at an impressive level. At certain moments of the game we were superior, we created more opportunities and we were quite intelligent in the way we approached the match.

“It's a shame, because France are practically through, and we're going to face a tough opponent. We could have scored a goal, but that didn't happen, but I'm very happy for my players.

“We knew that France is a great team. Our players play in the best Portuguese teams and are constantly pressing high, and that could have been fatal to our strategy by opening up spaces that could have been exploited by the French team.

“They ended up delivering, and we played a great game. I believe that if we are at this level against Germany we will end up playing a great game.”