France are through as the first semi-final team with a decisive 2-0 triumph over Uruguay.<\/p>\n
And they did it at a canter in what was basically a one horse race.<\/p>
Goals from Raphael Varane and Antoine Griezmann did the damage, with France dictating matters from start to finish\u2026or should that be finesse?<\/p>\n
The first half idled and misfired for 40 minutes, with loads of loose passing and neither keeper really troubled, but then ignited in the next five.<\/p>
Varane broke the deadlock when he rose high to meet a Griezmann free kick and headed it downwards into the far corner with goalie Fernando Muslera nowhere in the frame (1-0).<\/p>\n
Uruguay were stung into action and hardly had the game restarted when Hugo Lloris was forced into a spectacular save from a powerful Martin Caceres header, with Diego<\/p>\n
Godin on the far post almost tapping in the rebound.<\/p>\n
This was to be almost their only shot of note in the entire game.<\/p>\n
Uruguay could have done with Edinson Cavani, a non-starter owing to injury, and especially missed by his strike partner Luis Suarez.<\/p>\n
Both sides came out for the second period showing more purpose: Uruguay wanting to equalise and France looking for the safety net of a second goal.<\/p>\n
Paul Pogba almost got on end of an aerial free kick, but Fernando Muslera in the Uruguayn goals punched the ball clear, but only just.<\/p>\n
He would not repeat that feat \u2013 quite the opposite in fact \u2013 when in the 60th<\/sup> minute Griezmann hammered a speculative shot from distance.<\/p>\n Muslera attempted to catch it but instead parried it into his own net.<\/p>\n Commentators were scathing about the huge blunder, but perhaps the ball had more swerve on than was apparent (2-0).<\/p>\n France were now totally in control, gobbling up all the loose stuff, slick and silky-like, while the Uruguayans became more frustrated, culminating in some ill-tempered action and reaction that saw Kylian Mbappe and Cristian Rodriguez booked.<\/p>\n Griezmann was running the show \u2013 the difference between the two sides \u2013 and in the 72nd<\/sup> minute fed Corentin Tolisso, who had enough time and space to take aim but shot high and wide.<\/p>\n At the other end, Luis Suarez was the invisible man.<\/p>\n The final action saw a Griezmann free kick sails harmlessly over.<\/p>\n He was substituted as the hourglass was running – a well-deserved rest for the match winner and dare we say it, the form team looking at the road ahead.<\/p>\n