A World Cup classic, a goal fest and a star in the making. The knockouts have started with a bang as Mbappe leads the French team on.
FIRST HALF
The match got up to a quick start, with the French dropping deep and Argentina having more of the ball. Messi trying to run at the defence with Matuidi bringing him down. Soon after a quick counter by Mbappe down the middle of the pitch, had to be stopped by a sliding Mascherano.
Resulting freekick was a wake up call by Greizman as he hit the crossbar with a superb effort.
Soon after in the 11th minute, it was wonderful stuff from Mbappe who ran at the defence again through the middle of the pitch getting past Banega and Tagliafico, getting into the penalty are before going down to Rojo's push.
Griezmann to take and he waits for Armani to dive to his left. When he does, he rolls the ball down the middle with his left foot. 1-0 France.
Argentina go again with Di Maria having another poor start as he lost the ball to Pavard who somehow conceded a corner under pressure from Tagliafico. Resulting play had Pogba playing a long ball over the defence to Mbappe who got felled on the edge of the area. Pogba blazed this one over.
A few challenges here and there with the game going end to end. No real midfield play of any sort.
Di Maria with a scorcher in the 41st minute. A corner for Argentina headed away by Pavard, stroked about for a while before it was whipped to Di Maria in the middle. He took a step forward and unleashed a fierce shot which had Lloris grasping at thin air. 1-1 and it's game on.
SECOND HALF
First change with Fazio coming in for Rojo, and Argentina score almost immediately.
Banega with a free-kick on the left. He clipped it into the middle, cleared by Pogba. The ball droped to Messi on the right who then turned back on to his left foot to make space for a shot. It was going straight at Lloris til it took a deflection off Mercado and went past a frozen Lloris. 2-1 Argentina.
Mbappe tried to go on another run and got double tackled first by DiMaria and then by Banega who got carded. France went close again with a mistake from Fazio who played the ball past his keeper with Greizman lurking around. He eventually bullied the French striker and even got lucky in avoiding a penalty.
France equalize!! They attacked on the left flank with Hernandez embarking on a strong run and whips a deep cross in. The cross evades everyone in the middle but it reaches Pavard, 20 yards out the ball bounced and sat up awkwardly, he struck it beautifully and its a vicious drive into the far corner with his right foot! Out of nothing, France are level! It really is game on. 2-2.
Mbappe makes it 3 with some confusion in the area. Pogba passed out wide to Hernandez on the left whose cross isn't cleared. Matuidi sees a shot blocked and the ball falls to Mbappe. He takes it in his stride with a quick turn to his left and sent a low drive underneath Armani into the net! 3-2 France, 64' min.
Messi tried to bring some intensity back into Argentina’s play, dribbled through the middle and won a free-kick when Griezmann fouled him. The freekick was blocked, a rebound shot blocked again.
Mbappe again!! Its 4-2 to France in the 68th minute and Mbappe was the goalscorer. Argentina with no presence in the middle of the park and the ball gets played to Giroud, who had lots of space in front of the Argentina defence with Mbappe unmarked to his right.
He played an inch perfect pass to Mbappe who didn’t have to break stride. He simply has to run on to the ball and fire it into the bottom-right corner! 4-2.
Silly challenges and booking went on, and substitutions as France try to wind down the clock. Messi found some space in near the edge of the area but shot tamely at Lloris. Another sub as Mbappe went of to a rousing French applause, replaced by Thauvin.
4 minutes of added time.
Argentine sub, Aguero hands then a lifeline in added time. Messi showed up on the right wing whipped in a peach of a cross into the middle with his left foot. The ball floats through to the unmarked Aguero, who plants a low header past Lloris! What an assist from Messi and what a goal.
That was the last thing of not bar Otamendi unwittingly helping to wind down the clock by starting a brawl.
UP NEXT FOR FRANCE
They look like they can hit anyone right now, but they'll have to work on the defensive side of their game. They switched of at some points today against a team that had little control of the midfield. Such control would be needed in their next match against Uruguay.
MOTM
Kylian Mbappe
Writer: Ayotunde Ashogbon (30/06/2018)
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