RT Sport brings you live updates as Uruguay and France meet in their World Cup quarter-final in Nizhny Novgorod.
06 July 2018
That's all from our live updates, but check out our FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
We'll be back with full coverage of today's second quarter-final between Brazil and Belgium in Kazan, to find out who lines up against France.
Match stats:
France on top with the possession today, 57% of the ball.
Both teams had 11 shots, France with only 2 on target, both of them goals.
The Uruguayans covered 4km more ground as they chased France, but to no avail.
Attendance for today's game was 43,319, as the World Cup bids goodbye to Nizhny Novgorod, which has been a very popular host city.
Full time: Uruguay 0-2 France
France cruise into the semi-finals, where they will face either Brazil or Belgium.
A first venture into the last four for Les Bleus since their run to the final in 2006. Didier Deschamps men looking good.
Latest change from France as Griezmann comes off and Nabil Fekir comes on. Into the dying moments here, France cruising into the semi-finals.
5 mins of added time in Nizhny Novgorod, probably a result of that melee earlier. Uruguay with the ball in the French half, but not making the most of it.
89 mins: Griezmann with a free-kick 25 yards out, but curls it over. Gimenez is in tears for Uruguay, he knows they are heading out.
87 mins: Another change from France as they close out the game. Mbappe comes off, Ousmane Dembele comes on. Teen star Mbappe not at his explosive best today, but hasn't needed to be.
82 mins: Apart from the stunning Lloris save, Uruguay really have threatened very little in this game. Going out with a whimper rather than a bang, and very unlike what we're used to from the two-time World Cup winners.
80 mins: First change for France as Tolisso comes off, revving up his teammates as he goes. Steven Nzonzi comes on.
76 mins: Giroud volleys wide as France look the likelier to score next at the moment. Replays show the Mulsera howler again. It doesn't get any better with further viewing.
75 mins: Meanwhile, we're approaching the last 15 minutes in Nizhny Novgorod, with Uruguay showing little bite up front from Suarez and Co. Badly missing the presence of Edinson Cavani at the moment.
Bit of trolling from ex-England striker Gary Lineker over that Muslera howler, asking if there were similarities to Liverpool 'keeper Loris Karius and his blunders in the Champions League final, which it has been claimed stemmed from concussion...
67 mins: Bit of a scuffle as Mbappe is felled by a late challenge, Godin rushes over imploring him to get up, and some mass pushing and shoving ensues. Pogba has to be restrained by France coach Didier Deschamps. Uruguay's Rodriguez goes in the book for his role in it.
Partly a tale of two 'keepers here so far - Lloris with that stunning save just before half time to keep France in the lead, Muslera with a howler to allow Les Bleus a two-goal cushion.
Uruguay had made a double change just before the Griezmann goal. Cristhian Stuani and Rodrigo Bentancur are off, Cristian Rodriguez and Maxi Gomez come on. They're going to have to go all out now, 25 mins to play.
Shocker from Muslera. Griezmann shoots from the edge of box, it's swerving, but straight at the Uruguay keeper, who flaps it into his own net. Surely no way back for his team now.
GOAL! Uruguay 0-2 France. Howler from Muslera.
53 mins: French right-back Benjamin Pavard - the scorer of a stunning volley against Argentina - tries his luck from range again, but with less spectacular results as the ball goes well wide.
48 mins: Muslera almost suffers embarrassment for Uruguay as the ‘keeper dallies on a backpass and Griezmann bears down on him, but he can only divert Muslera’s attempted clearance wide. A let-off for Uruguay there.
Second half underway in Nizhny Novgorod - can Uruguay get back into it?
Some first-half stats for you:
A look at that Lloris’ save just before half time that many are calling the stop of the tournament so far…
A lot of love for that Lloris' save from a Cáceres’ header that kept the scores level at half time.
Half time: Uruguay 0-1 France
Intriguing first half in Nizhny Novgorod. France ahead thanks to a wonderful delivery from Griezmann and lovely header from Varane. Uruguay have been combative, and drew a stunning save from Hugo Lloris just before half time to keep his team ahead.
2 mins of added time at the end of the half, Uruguay pressing a lot more now, pumping balls into the box at the first opportunity. Replays showing Godin getting roughed up by Pogba from the last free-kick into the box.
44 mins: Stunning stop from Hugo Lloris. The ball is swung into the French box to be met by a Uruguay header, but the French skipper dives at full stretch to his right to tip the ball wide. Brilliant stop, and it's kept his team in the lead.
The free-kick the goal came from was awarded after Rodrigo Bentancur hacked down Tolisso on the edge of the box. He earned a yellow for it, meaning suspension from the semi-finals should Uruguay come back in this game - but his team's task is a whole lot harder now.
Uruguay 0-1 France: Wonderful glancing header from Raphael Varane after a lovely Griezmann free-kick into the box. Goal timed at 40 mins.
GOAL!! Varane opens the scoring with a header for France!
36 mins: Vecino with a chance for Uruguay as he volleys on the turn, but comfortable for Lloris.
35 mins: No one in the box again for France as Mbappe bursts free down the right and squares the ball, but there isn't a single white shirt in the box. The French teen is too quick for his own good.
33 mins: First booking of the game as French left-back Hernandez gets a yellow for pulling back Nandez, after the Uruguay player pinches the ball and attempts to break near the half-way line.
30 mins: France with a comparatively low 75% passing accuracy so far, showing how effective Uruguay have been at breaking up the play. Pogba whips a cross in for France, but no one is on the end of it and Uruguay clear.
26 mins: Uruguay containing the French threat well so far. Diego Laxalt is confronted with Mbappe one on one on the right-hand side of the box, but shepherds him out for a corner, which comes to nothing. Still goalless in Niznhy Novgorod.
23 mins: France with 61% of the ball in the opening encounters, five shots on goal but none on target. Pavard is the latest to get the rough treatment as Suarez shoves him near the half-way line.
20 mins: Bit of a scrappy game so far with neither side looking settled. That will probably suit Uruguay more as they look to break up any French fluidity.
18 mins: Hernandez gets a look of disdain from Stuani after the Uruguay man clatters into him on the half-way line. Unsurprisingly, Uruguay haven't been shy in putting a tackle in so far.
15 mins: Chance for Mbappe as a Giroud header finds him in the box, but the teen heads over. He had time to take a touch and bring that down – did a teammate tell him?!
10 mins: France enjoying most of the ball in the opening stages here, although little to show for it in the way of chances thus far.
6 mins: Another half-chance for the Uruguayans as Stuani collects the ball on the right and shoots across goal, but it flashes wide. France looking a tad nervy at the back.
5 mins: Half-chance for Uruguay as France fail to clear their lines in the box, but Nahitan Nandez’s shot is blocked for Uruguay.
3 mins: Olivier Giroud goes down for France after getting a kick from Jose Gimenez in the calves, but the big man is back on his feet.
KICK-OFF: We’re underway in Nizhny Novgorod for the first quarter-final of Russia 2018. France playing in their white strip, while Uruguay are in their traditional light blue.
ROAD TO THE LAST 8
Uruguay topped their group with three wins from three, including a 3-0 rout of Russia in their last group game.
La Celeste then overcame Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in the last 16, winning 2-1 thanks to a stunning Cavani brace – who misses out today due to injury.
France emerged unbeaten from their group, defeating Peru and Australia before drawing with Denmark in the World Cup’s first goalless stalemate.
Les Bleus’ campaign burst into life in the last 16, when they ran out 4-2 winners in a pulsating game against Argentina.
Kylian Mbappe, 19, was the star as he scored twice to give France a comeback win from 2-1 down. He was the first teenager since Pele to score a double in a World Cup game.
FORMATIONS
Uruguay are lining up in a conventional 4-4-2, with Stuani and Suarez up front. Captain and defensive stalwart Diego Godin will be the lynchpin in a defense that has conceded just once at Russia 2018.
France line up in a 4-2-3-1 with Olivier Giroud leading the attack, supported by Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe breaking forward.
HEAD TO HEAD
France and Uruguay have met eight times previously, with the Uruguayans on top with three wins. The pair have played out four draws, with France’s only win coming in a friendly in 1985.
They’ve met three times at the World Cup, with Uruguay winning 2-1 in 1966, and 0-0 draws at the group stage in 2002 and 2010.
Luis Suarez scored the winner in the teams’ last meeting in a 2-1 friendly win in Montevideo in 2013.
TEAM NEWS
The big news for Uruguay is, as feared, striker Edinson Cavani misses out due to the injury he sustained in the last 16 win against Portugal. Girona’s Cristhian Stuani comes in up front alongside Luis Suarez.
For France, Corentin Tolisso comes into midfield in place of the suspended Blaise Matuidi.
WELCOME!
Welcome to RT Sport’s live updates on the Uruguay versus France World Cup quarter-final in Nizhny Novgorod. We’ll be bringing you all the action and reaction as it happens.