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Uruguayans admit France gave ‘football lesson’ at World Cup
Montevideo, Uruguay | AFP | Uruguayans were gracious in defeat after France ended their World Cup hopes on Friday with a 2-0 quarter-final victory.
“France crushed Uruguay!” admitted Observador, one of Uruguay’s main newspapers.
“They handed out a football lesson, dominating the light blues from the first minute to the 90th, and deservedly qualified for the World Cup semi-finals.”
El Pais insisted the players were nonetheless heroes.
“Thanks lads!” said its title, before adding: “The dream is over.”
Despite defeat, fans took to the main Independence Square in the Old City of Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital, and sang songs, honked horns and danced.
On social media, the hashtag “More Uruguayan than ever” proved popular.
Full-time! Les Bleus advance to the @FIFAWorldCup semi-finals! ???#FiersdetreBleus #WorldCup #URUFRA pic.twitter.com/jhhLwrTPxv
— French Team (@FrenchTeam) July 6, 2018
Uruguay’s Tabarez admits France deserved victory
A disappointed Oscar Tabarez conceded that his Uruguay side were second best in their World Cup quarter-final loss to France on Friday, which saw the European side progress to the last four.
The veteran coach, who has been in charge of Uruguay for 12 years in his second spell as national coach, also refused to comment on his future when asked by reporters.
“We don’t play as good as our rivals, that’s why we lost,” said a downbeat Tabarez after the 2-0 defeat.
France went through after goals from Raphael Varane and Antoine Griezmann, after a mistake by goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, secured victory.
“The boys really gave everything, but France were able to control the match very well,” added Tabarez.
“After the second goal, there was a huge gap between the teams.”
Asked about his frustration at going out of the tournament, the 71-year-old said it should be stressed how far La Celeste had gone in the tournament compared to others.
“There are many countries that belong to the world of the footballing elite but left the tournament before us.”
On his future, Tabarez said: “I still have a contract but I am not going to speak about this, it’s not for me to decide.”
Asked about Muslera’s howler, Tabarez said simply: “Only those who don’t do anything don’t make mistakes.”
Full-time! Les Bleus advance to the @FIFAWorldCup semi-finals! ???#FiersdetreBleus #WorldCup #URUFRA pic.twitter.com/jhhLwrTPxv
— French Team (@FrenchTeam) July 6, 2018
FULL MATCH REPORT: France into World Cup semi
France became the first nation to book their place in the World Cup semi-finals on Friday, making an ominous statement of intent in easing past Uruguay 2-0 as Neymar’s Brazil prepared to take on Belgium.
Uruguay were dealt a devastating blow before kick-off in Nizhny Novgorod when Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani was ruled out following an injury he picked up in the win against Portugal.
Raphael Varane opened the scoring shortly before half-time from a set-piece, steering a header past a diving Fernando Muslera after Antoine Griezmann whipped the ball in with his left foot from the French right.
But France were indebted to Hugo Lloris for pulling off a stunning save at full stretch moments before the half-time whistle to deny Martin Caceres.
Didier Deschamps’s team doubled their lead in the 61st minute when Muslera made a terrible error, failing to parry a speculative shot from Griezmann and watching in horror as it looped across his goalline.
Deschamps said his side had “again raised our level” after the 4-3 win over Argentina in the last 16.
“I have a good team that still has plenty of room for improvement,” Deschamps told BeIN Spots
“You can see our lack of experience sometimes, but we have so many qualities too.
“In any case, it definitely won’t be a failed World Cup now, and we’ll wait to find out our opponents and see what happens.”
France, the 1998 winners, started slowly in Russia but have now slipped into gear, with a sharp attack led by Griezmann and teenager Kylian Mbappe buttressed by a powerful midfield marshalled by Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante.
Losing finalists on home soil at Euro 2016, they will fancy their chances of going one better in Russia.
Uruguay, who only conceded a single goal in reaching the World Cup quarter-finals, threatened in patches but missed the threat of Cavani, who forms a devastating partnership with Barcelona’s Luis Suarez.
– All eyes on Neymar –
Brazil are aiming to continue on the path towards winning a record-extending sixth World Cup at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on July 15.
But first, Neymar and his star-studded supporting cast have to get past Belgium, who boast an array of their own firepower, to reach the last four.
In a Kazan Arena expected to be awash with yellow-clad Brazil fans, Belgian trio Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne have a chance to prove they can cut it at the highest international level after so many disappointments.
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez acknowledged the gulf in World Cup pedigree between his side, who have never been further than the semi-finals, and Brazil.
“They know how to win World Cups, they’ve done it more than any other nation so they have that psychological barrier out of the way,” the Spaniard said.
Brazil coach Tite said he was desperate to win without resorting to the “horror” of penalties after three of the last-16 ties were settled by spot-kicks.
“A football match should never be settled with the horror of penalties. I don’t see that as a valid result,” Tite said Thursday. “For me, there has to be another way.”
Brazil made a slow start in Russia but hit their stride with an impressive performance to shut down Mexico in the last round.
All eyes will again be on Neymar’s performance. The world’s most expensive player has attracted praise for his goals and fierce criticism for his play-acting at the merest contact from an opponent.
– England fever –
In England, World Cup fever is building as hopes rise that Gareth Southgate’s young team can beat Sweden on Saturday and reach the semi-finals for the first time since 1990.
Southgate has urged his young squad to seize their chance.
“It’s a great opportunity, and although our team will be individually better in two years, we might not have this opportunity again,” he told the BBC.
Even if England do reach the final, British political leaders and royals will not attend the match in Russia. The boycott imposed over a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy living in southwest England has taken on new significance after a fresh case of exposure to the same poison nearby.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino told President Vladimir Putin that everyone had fallen “in love with Russia” during the World Cup, during a meeting Friday at the Kremlin.
“Everyone who has been here for a period of time now has discovered a country that we didn’t know,” Infantino said, flanked by former stars including England’s Rio Ferdinand.
England or Sweden will play the winner of Saturday’s other quarter-final, in which host nation Russia hope to keep their rollercoaster ride through the finals going when they play Croatia.
