Showed our mettle: Deschamps
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Uruguayan flanks were kept in check. In the 59th minute, Oscar Tabarez made a double change, sending in Maximiliano Gomez and Cristian Rodriguez for Stuani and Bentancur respectively.
Two minutes later, disaster struck Uruguay. With space to shoot, Griezmann had a go. The powerful shot was going straight to the goalkeeper but Muslera failed to hold on and it slipped over his hands into the goal.
Griezmann didn’t celebrate but France knew they had effectively sealed the tie. Tolisso could have made it 3-0 from the edge of the box but with no defender to block, he couldn’t be on target. Uruguay pressed but France held on and by the 89th minute, Jose Gimenez was in tears.
Uruguay took it too far with a tackle on Corentin Tolisso from Rodrigo Bentancur, Uruguay’s only booking till before Friday’s quarter-final. That set up the goal Uruguay were dreading.
Hugo Lloris stepped up at the right time by thwarting away Martin Caceres’s header by diving to his right. Cristhian Stuani could have still scored off the rebound but speared the ball from close. With just one half of the Sons of Salto present, Uruguay clearly lacked sting. Maybe the absence of Edinson Cavani was too telling on Luis Suarez who just couldn’t be a one-man show for Uruguay.
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NIZHNYNOVGOROD: France coach Didier Deschamps said that his team showed its worth with the 2-0 defeat of Uruguay.
“Many big teams left the World Cup early. We weren’t the best in the group stage but we passed. In the match against Argentina, we grew. And to win against a very good Uruguay team today, we have shown our mettle,” said Deschamps.
He remained coy about France’s title hopes. “For now, I can say that we have the potential to be in the semis; that is clear,” he said.
About forward Olivier Gir-
oud’s barren run, Deschamps said: “He is important for our team and for our style of play. In the last match, he made an assist for Mbappe.”
Antoine Griezmann said he didn’t celebrate his goal of
respect for Uruguay.
“When I started as a professional, I was taught by a Uruguayan. He taught me the good and bad of football. So, I have a lot of respect for Uruguay,” he said.