|
France produced an overall disappointing
performance in their opening game but still got the job done, a
scenario that would be repeated throughout their run to the
final.
Antoine Griezmann converted the first World Cup penalty to be
awarded after a video review to break the deadlock, but a
bizarre handball by Samuel Umtiti saw Australia hit back. After
a double substitution from Didier Deschamps, Paul Pogba grabbed
a winner with 10 minutes left with a heavily deflected shot.
France 1-0 Peru, Group C
Deschamps recalled experienced hands Olivier Giroud and Blaise
Matuidi to his starting line-up for their second game, and
France improved but still struggled to impress against the South
Americans.
The breakthrough came with a deflected shot from Giroud which
Kylian Mbappe tapped into the net, although Peru were not far
from leveling when Pedro Aquino clanged the crossbar. The win
saw France into the last 16 and sent Peru out.
France 0-0 Denmark, Group C
Deschamps made six changes to his team for the final group game
and only needed a point to guarantee top spot, a result which
also suited the Danes and would guarantee their passage to the
last 16.
To little surprise, the circumstances lead to the tournament's
first goalless draw and probably its least interesting game,
with neither side willing to take any risks in attack.
France 4-3 Argentina, last 16
A match-up worthy of a World Cup final kicked off the knockout
phase and was a thriller from the start, when Mbappe blazed
through the middle of the pitch and won a penalty which
Griezmann converted, right to the finish, when Sergio Aguero
headed in an injury time goal to set up a tense finale.
In between, Angel di Maria scored a sensational long range
strike, Benjamin Pavard canceled out Gabriel Mercado's scrappy
goal with an equally impressive hit, and Mbappe scored two
thumping goals to restore France's lead and then extend it,
adding extra panache to an already enthralling spectacle.
Uruguay 0-2 France, quarter-final
Griezmann had predicted that facing a team marshaled by his
Atletico Madrid teammates Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez would be
a boring affair, and it took a Raphael Varane header from one of
the forward's free-kicks to open it up.
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris preserved France's lead with a stunning
save to deny Martin Caceres, while Griezmann ended the game as a
contest with a speculative shot that slipped through Fernando
Muslera's hands, although he opted against celebrating out of
his affection for Uruguay.
France 1-0 Belgium, semi-final
With France great Thierry Henry in the opposing dugout as
assistant coach and a Belgium team full of players who had
learned their trade at French clubs, this semi-final was packed
with narratives and did not disappoint.
Belgium played the more attractive football, with Eden Hazard
their main source of danger. But France were more street wise,
playing a careful, defensive game and striking with Samuel
Umtiti's header from a corner kick.
Paul Pogba summed up France's ruthless mentality in the game,
saying: "I am not a natural defender, but I want to win the
World Cup, and you have to make sacrifices."
(Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
|
