FRANCE IN LAST FOUR AFTER WIN OVER URUGUAY

France eased past Uruguay to take their place in the World Cup semifinals with a 2-0 win in their last eight match. Uruguay is the third South American victim to the French after Peru and Argentina were beaten in the earlier stages.

Uruguay were without their most influential player, Edinson Cavani who were ruled out for the knee injury suffered in the match against Portugal. Luis Suarez had to take the important role but struggled to make an impact.

France produced a very good performance with Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante were pretty outstanding throughout the match. Raphael Varane gave France the lead with a header in the 40th minute. Antoine Griezmann sent in a free kick from the right side and Varane raced across the area. He got his head to the ball and sent it into the far corner behind Muslera. In the 61st minute Griezmann increased the lead for his team. His powerful shot flew directly to the hands of the goalkeeper but slipped into the net.

Uruguay were unbeaten in 2018 until this match, and Muslera has been one of the best goalkeeper at this World Cup. They just lost to a better team. The victory gave France a spot in the World Cup semifinals. The 1998 champions will next face either Brazil or Belgium on Tuesday in St. Petersburg.

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BELGIUM IN QUARTERFINALS AFTER LATE COMEBACK

Belgium beat spirited Japan 3-2 to set up a mouthwatering quarterfinals clash with five-time champions Brazil. It was an interesting match as the Japanese went two-nil up before Belgium fought back with three goals.

Japan went ahead right after the break.

Haraguchi broke into the area and beat Courtois in the 48th minute. Hardly five minutes later, Inui doubled the lead with a 25 metres attempt.

It looked like Belgium was going to lose this match. But Jan Vertonghen gave his team a new hope with just 20 minutes left to play. His header flew high over the Japanese goalkeeper and hit the back of the net.

Then Marouane Fellaini equalised from close range with a powerful header after receiving a cross from Eden Hazard. And Japan lost their 2 goals cushion and back to square one.

As the match entered the stoppage time, Nacer Chadli got the winner as he converted a cross by Meunier from a quick counter attack.

The Belgium’s ‘golden generation’ have scored 12 goals in four games this World Cup. They will face Brazil in the last eight clash on Friday.

RUGGER DISTRICT

NEYMAR ON TARGET AS BRAZIL BEAT MEXICO

Brazil sent Mexico out of the World Cup with a 2-0 win in Samara. Neymar scored a goal and assisted the second to send his team into the quarterfinals for a seventh consecutive time.

Mexico had a good start as they dominated early in the Round of 16 match. However, Brazil grew stronger as the match progress and started to take control.

Six minutes into second half Neymar finally broke the deadlock. The world's most expensive player slid to score from Willian's good cross. It was Brazil's 227th goal at the World Cup, ahead of Germany as the all-time top scorers.

Mexico tried to regain control of the match, but Brazil got so much talents in their squad. Firminho was brought-in late in the second half and he buried the opponent with a goal in the 88th minute.

Mexico are eliminated again from the tournament as they have been at every World Cup since 1994. Brazil will face Belgium in their last-eight tie in Kazan on Friday.

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RUSSIA BEAT SPAIN IN PENALTY SHOOTOUT

World Cup hosts sent Spain out of the tournament through penalty shootout. Russia captain Igor Akinfeev was the hero as he saved two penalties after both teams were tied to a 1-1 draw at the end of 120 minutes.

Spain took the lead in the 12th minute when Sergei Ignashevich unintentionally kicked the ball into his own net while handling Sergio Ramos.

Russia were awarded a penalty for a handball by Gerard Pique just before the break. Artem Dzyuba made no mistake from the spot to give his team the equalizer.

Spain took control almost the entire match, but failed to find the winner. With strong home support, the Russians defended brilliantly to stop Spain. Russia will face either Croatia in the quarterfinals as Spain's World Cup campaign has ended.

The Match

URUGUAY SEND PORTUGAL PACKING

European Champions, Portugal crashed out of the World Cup following 2-1 defeat to Uruguay in the Round of 16. Edinson Cavani scored twice to send his team into the quarterfinals.

Jose Giménez  was back in the Uruguay's line-up after missing out their last group match against Russia. Cristiano Ronaldo led his team into the match with Ricardo, Goncalo Guedes and Bernardo Silva in the first eleven.

Uruguay took an early lead through Cavani's header in the 7th minute. The striker sent a long pass accross the field to Luis Suárez and finished it off on the return.

Uruguay had not conceded in this World Cup and they managed to extend it for another 45 minutes. Ronaldo was tightly marked and could not get a goal.

Portugal played better after the break. Pepe headed in a cross from Raphael Guerreiro in the 55th minute to level the scores.

Seven minutes later, Uruguay were in front again. Cavani striked with a curling shot after receiving a good pass from Rodrigo Betancur.

Uruguay held on with the advantage until the final whistle, and sent the European Champions packing. They will face France in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Photo: FIFA

RUGGER DISTRICT

MBAPPE SCORES TWO AS FRANCE BOOK QUARTERFINALS SPOT

France are through to the World Cup quarter-finals after a stunning 4-3 victory over Argentina. It was an interesting 90 minutes where both sides threw everything they could to win the match. Kylian Mbappe stole the show as he involved in three of France’s four goals in Kazan.

France got the opening goal from the penalty spot in the 13th minute. Antoine Griezmann fired home after Mbappe was hauled down by Marcos Rojo.

Angel di Maria gave Argentina the equaliser just before halftime with a screamer to the top corner, leaving no chance for Hugo Lloris to stop it.

After just three minutes into second half, Argentina suddenly took the lead. Gabriel Mercado brilliantly clipped Lionel Messi’s low shot to beat Lloris.

Benjamin Pavard levelled the scores again with a good half-volley in the 57th minute. Then Mbappe rised to the occassion. Two strikes in the 64th and 68th minute put France on the brink of quarterfinals.

Argentina got another goal deep into the stoppage time through Sergio Aguero but it was already too little. France will face the winner of the match between Uruguay and Portugal in the quarterfinals.

Photo: FIFA

BELGIUM BEAT ENGLAND TO TOP GROUP G

Belgium denied England from claiming the top spot in Group G with a deserving 1-0 win last night. Adnan Januzaj became the hero for his team as they snatched first place and set up a last 16 meeting with Japan.

Both teams made big changes in their starting line-ups probably to save some good legs for upcoming matches. Gareth Southgate had nine different players from the previous match, while Belgium rested their top striker, Romelu Lukaku.

The first half of the match saw both team playing with extra cautious, trying to avoid bookings which may affect their group's rankings. However, six minutes into the second half Januzaj broke the deadlock. The 23-year-old beat Danny Rose before launching a left-footed strike that curled past Pickford.

The Three Lions were stunned and pushed forward in search of goals. But Belgium's back line were rock solid and unbreakable. They held on with the one goal advantage to secure three points and topped the group. Belgium will face Japan in the round of 16, while England will meet Colombia.

Photo: FIFA

BRAZIL BEAT SERBIA TO SET UP TIE AGAINST MEXICO

Brazil clinched top spot in World Cup Group E and eliminated Serbia after a comfortable 2-0 victory in Moscow. Paulinho and Thiago Silva set-up the Selecao's meeting with Mexico in the round of 16.

The five-time World Champs had a good start but have to replace Marcelo with Filipe Luis after just 10 minutes due to injury. But they did not wait too long like in the previous match against Costa Rica. Paulinho cleverly beat Serbia's keeper, Vladimir Stojkovic in the 36th minute after receiving a brilliant pass from Philippe Coutinho.

Serbia had their moments, but the South Americans had too much creativity and firepower to seal the game. Brazil doubled their advantage when Silva headed Neymar's corner in at the near post.

The result buried the ghost of 2014 when they failed to lift the World Cup on home soil, and kept hopes of an unprecedented sixth title alive.

Photo: FIFA

THE MATCH

BRAVE KOREANS BEAT WORLD NUMBER ONE IN RUSSIA

Reigning World Cup champions, Germany have been eliminated from the tournament at group stage following defeat by South Korea, in one of the biggest shocks in the competition's history.

The South Korean humiliated the four-time winners twice in injury time as they struggled to find the goal which could have sent them through to the next round.

After a tiring 90 minutes, Kim Young-gwon's goal came after 2 minutes into the stoppage time. The goal was initially ruled out for offside before being awarded after a video assistant referee decision, and Germany were on the brink of elimination.

Just a few minutes later, it turned worse for the Germans. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer lost possession in the opponents' half, Ju Se-jong launched it forward where Son Heung-min tapped into an empty net to score the second.

For the first time since 1938, Germany failed to advance beyond the first stage of the tournament. And it is just four years after they lifted the trophy at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

For the South Koreans, it was an amazing game as they defeated a world number one in FIFA rankings, at a World Cup held outside their continent. They were simply brilliant with their fitness and the counter-attacks.

Photo: FIFA

Tigers Super Sports

MESSI & ROJO BRING ARGENTINA BACK INTO WORLD CUP

Argentina is back from the dead after securing a late 2-1 win over Nigeria. When it looked like there was no chance for them to qualify into the next stage of the World Cup, Lionel Messi and his team mates produced the quality to keep Argentina in the tournament.  It wasn't the best show, but they overcame Nigeria with Marcos Rojo's winner toward the end of the 90 minutes.

Both teams were equally good at the start. But then, Messi silenced the critics with a great finish in the 14th minute. However, a silly tackle by Javier Mascherano inside the penalty box gave Nigeria a penalty kick. Victor Moses made no mistakes from the spot to equalize.

Argentina sent in Cristian Pavon, Maxi Meza and Sergio Aguero to strenghten their attacks. After continuous pressures inside the Nigerian area, Rojo got the winner with a classy finish in the 87th minute.

Finally there was an entertaining display by the two time World Champions. And Argentina got a place in the last 16.

Photo: FIFA

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