FIFA World Cup 2018 Highlights, Uruguay vs France: Griezmann, Varane goals send France to semifinals

Welcome to News Nation live coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2018. The first quarterfinal clash is between Uruguay and France at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Russia as both of the team eye a semi-final berth of FIFA's mega event.

After two straight wins against Australia (2-1) and Peru (1-0), the French were held to a goalless draw by Denmark, finishing top of Group C and conceding just once. In the round-of-16, coach Didier Deschamps led his men to a hard-fought and exciting 4-3 win over Argentina and secured a spot in the quarter-finals.

The Uruguayans finished top of Group A, after three straight wins - without conceding a single goal. Defeating Portugal 2-1 in their round-of-16 game, thanks to a brace by Edinson Cavani, Oscar Tabarez’s men are one win away from getting Uruguay to the WC semi-finals for the second time in three WC tournaments.

HIGHLIGHTS of Uruguay vs France:

# The referee blows his whistle for the final time to end this match.

# 90+4' Jonathan Urreta (Uruguay) is disappointed with himself because he got into a good area but produced a poor cross.

# 90+2' The game has come to an end for Antoine Griezmann. He has contributed as much as he could today. He will be replaced by the fresh legs of Nabil Fekir (France).

# We will have 5 min. of added time.

# 89' Antoine Griezmann (France) takes the direct free kick from far out, but his shot flies into the stands.

# 88' Jose Maria Gimenez (Uruguay) is penalised after knocking an opponent down. France are awarded a free kick from a dangerous position.

# 87' That's the end of the game for Kylian Mbappe, who is replaced by Ousmane Dembele (France).

# 86' Luis Suarez (Uruguay) attempts to find one of his teammates, but puts far too much on the pass and the chance is gone.

# 84' Jonathan Urreta (Uruguay) looks to break free, but his touch lets him down and he loses the ball.

# 80' Martin Caceres (Uruguay) fizzes over a cross which doesn't cause any problems.

# 78' Didier Deschamps has decided to substitute Corentin Tolisso and he is replaced by Steven N'Zonzi (France).

# 77' Jonathan Urreta (Uruguay) tries to send a pass but it's blocked.

# 76' Olivier Giroud (France) fires a volley from the edge of the box, but his effort goes well wide of the left post.

# 74' The substitution is prepared. Jonathan Urreta (Uruguay) joins the action as a substitute, replacing Nahitan Nandez.

# 73' CHANCE! Corentin Tolisso (France) creates some space for himself to pick up a pass on the edge of the box and unleashes a decent strike which goes a whisker over the crossbar.

# 72' Martin Caceres (Uruguay) sends the ball into the penalty area from a throw-in as if it's a corner kick.

# 71' Nahitan Nandez (Uruguay) attempts a long crossfield pass, but the defence does well to intercept the ball.

# 69' The booking goes to Cristian Rodriguez (Uruguay).

# 68' Is that a yellow card in the referee's hand? It is! Kylian Mbappe (France) gets booked.

# 65' CHANCE! Cristian Rodriguez (Uruguay) misses the left post by a whisker with a mid-range rebound. What a chance that was!

# 63' Lucas Torreira (Uruguay) lifts the ball into the box from the corner, but one of the defending players gets there first to head it clear.

# 63' Lucas Torreira (Uruguay) swings in the corner, but fails to find any of his teammates. One of the defenders reacts superbly to get it clear. The ball is out of play. Uruguay win a corner kick.

# 61' Gooal! Antoine Griezmann (France) manages to put the ball in the back of the net.

# 59' It's time for a substitution. That's the last involvement from Christian Stuani as he is replaced by Maximiliano Gomez Gonzalez (Uruguay).

# 59' Here is a change. Rodrigo Bentancur is going off and Oscar Tabarez gives the last tactical orders to Cristian Rodriguez (Uruguay).

# 58' Luis Suarez (Uruguay) fails to find any of his teammates inside the box as his pass is blocked.

# 56' Wasted effort! Rodrigo Bentancur (Uruguay) drives to the edge of the box after picking up a rebound, but his shot is tame and bends well wide of the left post.

# 55' Christian Stuani (Uruguay) sees an unmarked teammate and attempts to send him a low pass. However, one of the defenders reads the game perfectly and averts the danger

# 54' What a miskick by Benjamin Pavard (France). He smashes a volley from long distance that goes into the stands.

# Second half begins!

# The first half of today's match has just finished.

# There will be a minimum of 2 min. of added time.

# 44' Diego Godin (Uruguay) is furious with himself as he misses a golden opportunity from inside the six-yard box. He sends a rebound a few inches wide of the left post.

# 44' CHANCE! MISS! The free kick into the box finds Martin Caceres (Uruguay), who heads the ball towards the bottom left corner, but the keeper pulls off a fantastic reflex save. Great goalkeeping skills.

# 42' Nahitan Nandez (Uruguay) collects a rebound a long way out and doesn't hesitate to release a goal-bound hammer of a shot. His attempt is precise and towards the middle of the target. It would have ended in the back of the net if it wasn't for Hugo Lloris and his nice save.

# 42' Christian Stuani (Uruguay) races towards goal but the defender gets back well to make a challenge. Uruguay have been awarded a corner kick.

# 40' GOAL! The ball from the free kick finds its way to Raphael Varane (France) who finds himself some space and scores with a thunderous header into the bottom left corner. An incredible long-range header!

# 38' Rodrigo Bentancur (Uruguay) picks up a yellow card.

 # 37' Paul Pogba (France) and Antoine Griezmann combine brilliantly in a series of one-twos.

# 36' Matias Vecino (Uruguay) picks up the rebound on the edge of the box and shoots. His effort, however, only finds the gloves of the opponent's goalkeeper.

# 35' Kylian Mbappe (France) sends in a pass which fails to reach any of his teammates.

# 35' Paul Pogba (France) has proven his good peripheral vision as he picks out Kylian Mbappe with a lovely through ball.

# 33' What was Lucas (France) thinking? He will not get away with that. The referee shows him a yellow card.

# 27' Corentin Tolisso (France) attempts to find one of his teammates with a fine lofted pass, but the defence reacts well to intercept the effort.

# 26' Kylian Mbappe (France) slaloms his way past challenges, but an opposing player does well to get the ball away. It will be a corner kick for France.

# 22' Antoine Griezmann (France) takes the corner but it's cleared.

# 22' Benjamin Pavard (France) attempts to send over a cross in order to find one of his teammates, but an opposition defender averts the danger by intercepting the effort. France will have a chance to score from a corner kick.

# 20' Antoine Griezmann (France) slides a pass forward, but one of the defenders cuts it out.

# 18' Paul Pogba (France) gathers the pass and without hesitation smashes a shot in from long range, but it goes high over the bar.

# 15' CHANCE! Kylian Mbappe (France) misses a great chance after he found some space in the box! His glancing header goes over the crossbar.

# 14' Jose Maria Gimenez (Uruguay) jumps for a header from the resulting corner kick inside the box and sends the ball in on goal, but the goalkeeper makes a very good save.

# 14' Christian Stuani (Uruguay) will deliver the corner kick.

# 13' One of the defenders reacts at the last minute to brilliantly block a pass from Rodrigo Bentancur (Uruguay). Uruguay force a corner. Their opponents will face another attacking threat.

# 11' Raphael Varane (France) plants a header from the edge of the box after a nice cross from the free kick. It lacks accuracy and the ball flies well wide of the right post.

# 10' It looks like Christian Stuani (Uruguay) saw red with that tackle. Nestor Pitana won't tolerate such behaviour on the pitch and blows for a foul. France earn a free kick.

# 8' Nestor Pitana interrupts the game for a tactical foul by Paul Pogba (France).

# 6' Benjamin Pavard (France) delivers a promising cross into the box, but it's cleared.

# 5' Christian Stuani (Uruguay) finds space inside the box but rifles his effort miles past the left post.

# 4' Lucas (France) deprives his opponent of the ball, but the referee blows his whistle for a foul. He's not happy with the decision!

# 2' Kylian Mbappe almost gets into in a promising position, but the through ball by Olivier Giroud (France) from just inside the box is intercepted by one of the defending players.

# Kick off!

# Nestor Pitana is the one to supervise the game today.

# Both the teams are out and the National Anthems are ON!

#URUFRA | Formations... #URU#FRA#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/YnOiI2fWZa

 

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018

 

# Players to watch: Scoring two goals against Argentina, 19-year-old French striker Kylian Mbappé became the youngest player to score a brace in a WC game since Pele. He will go H2H against Barcelona hotshot Luis Suarez, who has scored 2 goals in the World Cup campaign.

 

Kick-off (16.00 CET) is fast approaching! ⌛️#FiersdetreBleus #WorldCup #URUFRA pic.twitter.com/OETSl6ozwQ

 

— French Team (@FrenchTeam) July 6, 2018

#  France XI: Lloris, Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez, Kante, Pogba, Mbappe, Griezmann, Tolisso, Giroud.

# Uruguay XI: Muslera, Caceres, Gimenez, Godin, Laxal, Nandez, Torreira, Vecino, Bentancur, Suarez, Stuani.

 

#URUFRA | The teams are in... 👀#URU #FRA#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/G6nBdJMPKC

 

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018

The quarter-finals begin TODAY! #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/jOnerrANSM

 

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018

"They defend very well" 🚫

"They have top strikers" ️⚽️

 

"But we can make it difficult for them" 💪@FrenchTeam's @MATUIDIBlaise ahead of #URUFRA... pic.twitter.com/xKkqy2nSaw

 

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018

Two strong defences, but only one can be victorious in Nizhny Novgorod...#URUFRA pic.twitter.com/gkMvhowdyK

 

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018

We're back with two massive #WorldCup matches today!#URUFRA // #BRABEL

 

Are you watching both? pic.twitter.com/fCJijEhmsw

 

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018

Ready for this one @Uruguay and @FrenchTeam fans?#URUFRA // #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/CNodyHTsB0

 

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018

2014:

England ✅

Italy ✅

 

2018:

Russia ✅

Portugal ✅

France 🤔@Uruguay are on a hot streak against European teams at the #WorldCup but will that continue today?

 

More stats and facts 👉 https://t.co/tJolbQFYxV pic.twitter.com/bO6LxJlKCa

 

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018

Okay Twitter, who is winning this one? #URUFRA

 

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018

#FRA #FRA #FRA

 

That feeling when you and your squad meet up for the #WorldCup quarter-finals 🙌

 

CC: @FrenchTeam pic.twitter.com/iLyhiv8xfT

 

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018

Kylian Mbappe (France) sends in a pass which fails to reach any of his teammates.

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