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The French center-forward anticipated the Fellaini mark to score the goal that leads France to the final (Photo: Courtesy)
A Samuel Umtiti's head at the dawn of the second half -time was enough to seal the passport France to the third final of its history in World Cup, imposed Tuesday 1-0 to Belgium.
In a corner shot by Antoine Griezmann in the 51st minute, Umtiti managed to anticipate Marouane Fellaini, conservator of the first stick. The Barcelona defender jumped and shot goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the face, who simply raised his hands in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the ball from entering the net. "I am enormously proud," said the jubilant Umtiti. stadium of St. Petersburg. "We work very hard, united, I was the one who scored but we all played a good game."
And for the umpteenth time in this World Cup, a stopped ball was crucial. This time he set a runner up, and France will face Sunday for the title in Moscow with England or Croatia, which were measured in the other semifinal on Wednesday and also in the Russian capital. appreciated the strategist of Belgium, Roberto Martínez. "Unfortunately for us, they hit us in a situation with a ball stopped."
Also, after so much about the talent that France has in mind, the hero was a defense. In 1998, three French defenders scored in the World Cup: Bixente Lizarazu, Laurent Blanc and Lillian Thuram. In a happy coincidence, they scored Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane and Umtiti
"C is a defender who scored the goal, and we worked a lot on defense," said the French coach Didier Deschamps. "I bring my hat to my players and my coaching staff."
In seeking to install the Belgians in the first World Cup final of their history, Martinez took the risky decision to launch a line of three defenders to one of the teams with more individual talents in this contest. And the Red Devils created the danger in the first half with two shots from Eden Hazard and a shot from Toby Alderweireld's left foot, which French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris providentially deflected with both hands.
Start against and threaten with Griezmann shots and Kylian Mbappé's breakouts, the 19-year-old French sensation.
The French only radicalized the respective strategies. Struck, the Red Devils rushed in search of a draw. The Blues, they organized themselves better and bet on a quick transition that would allow them to broaden the score.
But perhaps because of the desperation or perhaps fatigue resulting from a match played at a very dynamic pace. "It's something exceptional … I'm very happy for my players, who are young but have a great character," said Deschamps.
In the first final of its history, France was crowned hostess In 1998, thanks to a 3-0 victory against Brazil, Ronaldo mysteriously lost his superpowers. In Germany 2006, he succumbed to the penalty shootout against Italy after Marco Materazzi's famous header which resulted in the expulsion of Zinedine Zidane and his farewell to the World Cups.
There will be a desire to claim in the French national team. Deschamps was part of the champion team in 1998 and is now about to experience two important accomplishments.
The first is of an individual nature. It could be just the third person to be crowned in the World Cup as a player and coach, something that Mario "Wolf" Zagallo with Brazil (1958 and 1962 playing and 1970 ruler) and Franz Beckenbauer with the l & # 39; Germany (1974 and 1990). In addition, Rudi Voller was a player and coach: he won as an attacker in 1990 and lost as a strategist in 2002.
France was a step away from reaching the goal. Uruguay and Argentina with two titles to his credit. It would be added to the exclusive club of multi-champions, to which also belong Brazil (5), Italy (4) and Germany (4).
Belgium is far from this dome and has remained on the edge of what would have been a historic paper. He played the second semifinal of the World Cup in his history and fell like in Mexico in 1986 against Argentina and Diego Maradona in full splendor.
The Belgians do not hold a single relevant title in their windows and will continue to wait once for the most colorful football of this World Cup, in which they had won all their matches. At least they could improve their situation at the 1986 World Cup, when France beat them 4-2 in overtime during the match for third place. They will seek this third place in the consolation duel to be held on Saturday, also in St. Petersburg
AP
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