Football. Euro Espoirs: The Bleuets are stunning on the verge of the quarter-finals before facing Poland.

By winning after scoring two goals in the dying minutes, the French U21 team did the hard work against Georgia (3-2) on Saturday evening. Almost miraculously, the Bleuets now only need a draw against Poland – already eliminated – this Tuesday (6 p.m.) in Zilina (Slovakia) to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Euro U21.

Even if they lose, coach Gérald Baticle's players could participate in the knockout stages depending on the outcome of the other group match between Portugal and Georgia.

Portugal are top of the group with 4 points (tied with France) but have a much better goal difference after thrashing Poland 5-0 on Matchday ^2. Georgia, meanwhile, has 3 points and must therefore beat the Portuguese and rely on a slip-up from the Bleuets to hope to reach the next round.

With its destiny now in its own hands, the French group, forged in difficulty after a series of forfeits, has still not finished with the damage.

On Monday, on the eve of facing a Polish team that has conceded seven goals in two matches, Les Bleus lost their third-choice goalkeeper, Alsatian Robin Risser (on loan from Racing to Red Star this season), to injury. With a back injury, the goalkeeper won't be fully recovered before the end of the competition on June 28 if France reaches the final.

The staff therefore decided to call up Lyonnais Justin Bengui Joao (19 years old), on loan this season to Jedinstvo (Serbia) and fresh from a victory at the Maurice-Revello Tournament with the U20s, to replace him.

On Sunday, as reported by the newspaper L'Équipe , the staff had to call on a young local goalkeeper, Marek Teplan, to guard the goals during a training session. But ultimately, it is perhaps thanks to all the adventures his squad has encountered since the start of preparations for the Euro that Gérald Baticle wants to believe in the birth of a story.

"This scenario (of the match against Georgia, editor's note) must be a foundational one and give us confidence. A soul is being born," he told L'Équipe on Saturday after the 3-2 victory against Georgia, while the Bleuets were still trailing 2-1 in the ^89th minute.

"There will be changes [...] to have a very competitive team," said the coach on Monday, who wants "to have a team management that involves all the players."

If they overcome the Polish obstacle and finish ^second in their group, France will face Denmark, who surprisingly finished ^first in Group D in Presov (Slovakia). If they finish ^first in their group, the French would then face Ukraine, the Netherlands, or less likely Finland.