Kylian Mbappé's curse-ending goal can not gloss over that top title favourites France are still stuttering at Euro 2024.
"Still no sparkle," French sports daily L'Equipe said on its website after a meagre 1-1 draw with group bottom side Poland on Tuesday in Dortmund.
The 2018 world champions and 2022 runners-up enter their last 16 match on Monday against the second-placed finisher from Group E without having scored a goal of their own from open play in 270 minutes against Austria, the Netherlands and Poland.
The 1-0 win over Austria came from a Maximilian Wöber own goal, the game against the Dutch ended 0-0, and Mbappe's first career goal at a Euros, in his return from a nose fracture against Austria, was a penalty.
Mbappé drew level with France icon Just Fontaine with 13 goals at big events, with only Michel Platini ahead with 14. And Antoine Griezmann came on for a record 34th appearance at a Euros or World Cup, one ahead of Lilian Thuram, whose son Marcus did not play on Tuesday.
Deschamps happy with Mbappé at least
Le Parisien paper labelled Mbappé "a liberated but frustrated captain" as the draw was not good enough to finish top of Group D because the impressive Austrians beat the Dutch 3-2 in the other game to shoot from third to first.
Coach Didier Deschamps was satisfied with Mbappé's performance and highlighted it is not easy playing with a protective face mask.
"Despite everything that he has gone through I thought he was good this evening. The mask takes some getting used to – you sweat! – but he is always so keen to play," Deschamps said.
Fans and experts would still expect more from a star-studded squad which apart from Real Madrid's Mbappé includes Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembélé, Atletico Madrid's Griezmann and Olivier Giroud up front, plus the likes of N'Golo Kante and Theo Hernandez.
Poland keeper shines
They created chances without finding the net, especially against Poland where they were denied by a man-of-the-match performance from goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski.
"He was excellent, he made a lot of saves and we couldn't make the most of our chances," Deschamps said in praise of Skorupski. "It's not just a case of taking our chances, you have to give credit to the goalkeeper.
"Of course we can improve but I'd be more worried if there were no chances," Deschamps insisted.
He added defiantly: "I am not frustrated. We wanted to finish first but for that you have to win. We have to accept that. We had chances but we can be proud of what we have achieved. The first goal has been reached."
Les Bleus now have six days to get ready for their date against Romania, Belgium, Slovakia or Ukraine, and Deschamps said that they got out of "a really tough group.
"I'm not going to flog a dead horse. The squad is together, they are creating chances," he said.