France reached the World Cup semifinals after a relatively straightforward win over Uruguay. Goals from Raphael Varane and Antoine Griezmann sealed a comfortable win for the 1998 champions.
A Cavani less Uruguay failed to put up a fight against in form France.
Varane opened the scoring on 40 minutes before Griezmann made it 2-0 just after the hour mark. A dreadful error from Fernando Muslera led to the second goal and also ended the hopes for Uruguay,
Edinson Cavani was only fit enough to start on the bench following the calf injury sustained in the round of 16. Replacement Cristhian Stuani toiled in his absence as Uruguay crashed out. France, winners in 1998, will face either Brazil or Belgium in the semifinals on Tuesday.
Uruguay conceded just one goal in 2018. France faced the tough prospect of penetrating a resolute backline but in the end they prevailed, thanks in part to Muslera’s howler. t took a while for Didier Deschamps’ men to find their stride. After a quartar of an hour, they found the opener. Griezmann’s free kick found Varane, whose flicked header evaded Muslera.
Martin Caceres thought he had equalised with a header of his own from a free kick soon after. But ugo Lloris somehow denied him with an incredible reflex stop, and Diego Godin ballooned the rebound over the bar. Uruguay pushed for the equaliser in the second half. But things got worse on 62 minutes as Griezmann doubled France’s lead. The Atletico Madrid forward gathered the ball near the edge of the box and let fly, with Muslera attempting to parry it. To his horror, though, the ball squirmed through his grasp and over the line.
Uruguay lost their energy as the game petered out as a glum-looking Cavani looked on from the bench. France, meanwhile, now turn their attentions to the last four and Tuesday’s semi in St. Petersburg.