ANTOINE KNOCKS OUT PALS URUGUAY
ANToINE Griezmann likes to sip yerba mate from a gourd and hang out grilling meat with his uruguayan chums, but his loyalties were not open to question as he claimed a goal and an assist to ease France closer to their World Cup dream.
Griezmann’s quandary had dominated pre-match narratives since he admits to such deep affection for uruguay and its culture, reinforced by his close friendship with Atletico Madrid team-mates Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez.
Godin is godfather to his daughter and he embraced his opponents with such emotion in the tunnel before kick-off that French eyebrows might have been raised had he not provided such an emphatic contribution to the win.
Griezmann created the opener for Raphael Varane five minutes before half-time and settled this quarter- final by firing in the second from distance with the help of a goalkeeping howler by Fernando Muslera.
As France move to St Petersburg, uruguay head for home with veteran manager oscar Tabarez talking riddles about his own future, but surely planning to enjoy a deserved rest from the rigours of the touchline.
‘I have a contract, but I am not going to speak about it,’ said the 71-year- old. ‘It is not for me to decide, I’d be acting against my principles. We always dream and we dream on. This defines our country, things never end. We must look to the future.
‘When I speak about dreams it doesn’t mean I expect to be there.
‘It has been a huge honour to be national team coach.’
uruguay won their first four games in Russia, but were not the same attacking force without Edinson Cavani and rarely threatened France from open play.
Cavani injured a calf muscle having scored twice against Portugal on Sunday, and after days of cloak and dagger around his fitness, was not even on the bench. Without him, uruguay’s self-belief was damaged and with it their famous fighting spirit.
Luis Suarez bustled around, barging into people and trying to disturb the rhythms of the game but this task was beyond them and they knew it.
Gimenez was sobbing on the pitch even before the fourth official had held up the board to declare five minutes of stoppage time.
Cristhian Stuani, who replaced Cavani, made a bright opening, but France took control. There was none of the flamboyance they displayed against Argentina, but France proved able to grind out an ugly win when needed.
Games are rarely fluent involving uruguay, specialists in windup artistry, making it tense and fractious with plenty of niggle.
Kylian Mbappe was unsettled and sparked a mass confrontation when he over-reacted to a crafty nudge from Cristian Rodriguez.
It was 2- 0 at the time and Nahitan Nandez had already shoved an elbow into Corentin Tolisso’s ear and Lucas Torreira dropped studs over the ball on Benjamin Pavard.
Mbappe hit the Neymar button, rolling around to exaggerate his pain, and a skirmish exploded with Suarez in the thick of it.
Argentinian ref Nestor Pitana, not a popular appointment with uruguay, eventually settled the dispute with yellow cards for Mbappe and Rodriguez.
The contest was won and Didier Deschamps was concerned about needless suspensions.
‘ Things got a bit hot,’ said Deschamps, who pulled Paul Pogba aside to keep him out of trouble. ‘I didn’t want him to lose his temper and get a booking. You can’t fall for the provocation.’
France had done the hard work
when they stood firm in the midfield battle in the early stages and made a vital breakthrough.
Rodrigo Bentancur felled Tolisso with a clumsy challenge from behind and Griezmann clipped the free-kick into the penalty area with his left foot. Varane timed his run perfectly, dashing away from Matias Vecino and across the front of Stuani to rise and glance a header inside the post. Muslera had little chance with this one.
Uruguay responded with a positive flurry of intent, forcing Hugo Lloris into a splendid save.
Again it was from a set-piece, expertly delivered by Torreira and won convincingly in the air by Martin Caceres. Lloris stretched out across his line and blocked the header with a firm right hand. Godin blazed the rebound over and there would not be a clearer chance. Tabarez made changes but Uruguay were two adrift before they could make an impact.
Griezmann was about 25 yards out as he took a short pass from Tolisso and was given all the time and space he required to take aim.
His strike was sweet and straight and there may have been a wobble in flight but Muslera really should have saved easily.
Instead the goalkeeper pushed his palms at the ball and helped it into the net. Griezmann took little delight in the goal, perhaps embarrassed to see it slither in as well as sorry for his friends.
‘When I started, someone from Uruguay taught me the good and bad of football,’ said the France striker. ‘They are a tough team, they remind me of my club side, Atletico, because everyone works hard in attack and defence.
‘It’s a pleasure to watch. I love Uruguayan culture. I have respect for Uruguay and it was normal not to celebrate my goals.’ URUGUAY (4-3-1-2): Muslera 5; Caceres 6.5, Gimenez 6.5, Godin 6, Laxalt 6; Nandez 5 (Urretaviscaya 73min, 5), Torreira 6, Vecino 6; Bentancur 6 (Rodriguez 59, 5); Suarez 6, Stuani 6 (Gomez 59, 5). Booked: Bentancur, Rodriguez. Manager: Oscar Tabarez 6. FRANCE (4-2-3-1): Lloris 7; Pavard 6.5, Varane 7, Umtiti 6.5, Hernandez 6; Kante 7, Pogba 6.5; Mbappe 6 (Dembele 88), GRIEZMANN 7.5 (Fekir 90), Tolisso 7 (Nzonzi 80); Giroud 6. Scorers: Varane 40, Griezmann 61. Booked: Hernandez, Mbappe. Manager: Didier Deschamps 7. Referee: Nestor Pitana (Arg) 6. Attendance: 43,319.