France takes total control in beating Uruguay — and hints at more to come in World Cup

  

GOAL

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia — Sure, France could have lost in the World Cup quarterfinals Friday … had Uruguay’s other sublime forward been well enough to play and the opposing goalkeeper not committed a howler of a mistake and the French netminder not made an almighty save about a half-hour after almost swallowing a large bug.

But none of those events turned against Les Bleus and, with a 2-0 victory that emphasized efficiency over style, a semifinal is in their immediate future for the first time since 2006. They’ll play Belgium on Tuesday in St. Petersburg, two steps from replicating their first championship of 20 years ago.

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Blessed with an abundance of riches, France entered the tournament as a serious contender. And although nothing has altered that status, Les Bleus have left admirers wanting more. They are individually so good all over the pitch that one must brace for a comprehensive performance at some point soon.

The French barely escaped the half with the lead. Uruguay delivered several dangerous balls into the box and, in the 44th minute, Martin Caceres’s header of a free kick seemed like a certain equalizer. But Lloris sprung to his right and, with his body and right arm fully extended, slapped the bid aside in spectacular fashion. Diego Godin was on the doorstep, but with Lloris springing back to his feet, the Uruguayan captain belted the rebound well off target.

“Other than that, they didn’t have a lot of great opportunities,” Deschamps said. “We weren’t really hard-pressed.”

He’s right. France was unflustered by Uruguay’s growing urgency in the second half. The largely subdued crowd took up La Celeste’s cause, but Les Bleus extended the lead on a goalkeeping blunder.

Griezmann fired from a long distance. The airborne ball had movement on it. Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera leaned the wrong way, didn’t set his feet and was not fully behind the ball when he tried an awkward, two-fisted punch.

When the ball caromed off his unsure hands and into the net, one teammate fell flat on his back, and another held his head.

Since he has deep professional ties to Uruguayan soccer, Griezmann declined to celebrate. When his career took flight nine years ago with Real Sociedad in the Spanish league, Griezmann learned the craft from an Uruguayan coach, Martin Lasarte, and bonded with an Uruguayan teammate, Carlos Bueno.

Now starring at Atletico Madrid, Griezmann is close with teammates Godin and Jose Gimenez, the Uruguayan national team’s starting centre backs. Godin is godfather to Griezmann’s daughter.

He speaks at times with an Uruguayan accent, supports Montevideo club Penarol and enjoys mate, a South American beverage.

“I was supported by an Uruguayan who taught me the good and the bad in football,” he said. “So I have a lot of respect for Uruguay as a country, the Uruguayan culture, and I was also playing against friends. So out of respect, it was normal not to celebrate my goal.”