FIFA 2018: France returns to WC finals after 12 years
Didier Deschamps has already engraved his name in French football history when France brought the World Cup trophy home in 1998. Now as coach of France, he has been extended another opportunity as we get closer to the final stage in the FIFA World Cup 2018.
Samuel Umtiti’s lone goal was all that was required by France to move to the finals. After an initial spirited attack, Belgium’s offense deflated in the second half of the match. Compared to France’s reserved style of play, Belgium made far more dynamically, however, couldn’t put a dent in their opponent's defense. The accumulating yellow cards made it evident that both teams were playing a very tight game. The 63rd-minute yellow card awarded to Belgian captain Eden Hazard marked the moment the team began to panic. From there on their shoddy attempts at goal further cemented their decline in the match.
It is not the end of Belgium’s story in this WC as they prepare to fight for 3rd place position on 14th July.
Today, Croatia will face England at 11.30 P.M IST. Previously, they met at Euro 2004 where England beat Croatia 4-2. Croatia back then was a far cry from the team that has reached the semis in the WC. Infused with fresh blood the team has recorded an undefeated run in their 5th WC appearance.
England’s current goal run of 11 rivals their highest total at the World Cup, set in 1966. The credit for six of those goals goes to Harry Kane. England seems the more dependable team in the tournament. Their performance hasn’t been too showy but they have gotten the results. After toughing it out and making it this far in the WC the English side is sure to push hard for the trophy.
They need to pause this match until we get alternate views and extended cuts of Umtiti's celebration pic.twitter.com/vxXg7c6ssj
Watch all the explosive action Live on SonyLIV, the official mobile and internet broadcaster for the FIFA World Cup 2018. It is the go-to destination for all football fanatics.
Check out the Match Centre on SonyLIV, where viewers can see live scores, player positions, team data, match statistics and live commentary. For a more engaging experience, users can set reminders or view the entire schedule, while the points table gives a quick update on the standings, scores, etc. Additionally, SonyLIV has also created a fan-zone on the second screen that users can access on their mobile phones or tablets and experience features like match predictions, emotion meter, polls, and contests, even as they watch the game in real-time.
Other features include viewing missed games with snippets and clips of key moments from every match along with highlights. To cater to the widest possible range of viewers, SonyLIV will be available in six simultaneous audio feeds - Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and English.
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