France has beaten Germany 2-0 in their Euro 2016 semi-final and will face Portugal in the final on Sunday in Paris.
07 July 2016
France reaches the final of Euro 2016.
Stunning save from Lloris in the French goal as he is at full-stretch to save a header.
The French fans are waving their tricolors - not long left now.
Germany launches the ball into the box again, it's cleared but Cabaye commits a foul seconds after coming on - Ozil plays the free-kick in but it's cleared.
Two-goal hero Antoine Griezmann comes off to be replaced by Yohan Cabaye.
The referee has signaled 4 minutes of added time - France is almost there.
(90+ mins)
Into added time now as Germany press, but Muller aims a wayward ball into the box and no one is there to threaten.
Surely too much for Germany to do now.
Just under five minutes left, France looking comfortable as the crowd cheers every pass.
(86 mins)
Griezmann breaks for France as he eyes a hat-trick, but he shoots straight at Neuer in the German goal.
(85 mins)
Again Germany presses but cannot penetrate the banks of French defenders. They have lacked any real creativity, while France has been incisive and fast with their forward play.
(84 mins)
France breaks down the left but the ball goes nowhere – they won’t mind though, as they try to eat up as much time as possible.
The final in Paris on Sunday beckons…
(82 mins)
Chance for Germany as Kroos whips in a free-kick from the right, but Howedes heads over.
(79 mins)
The ball falls to Mustafi in the French box, but he lashes wildly over. Sums up Germany’s night so far.
Germany needs to come up with something, and fast.
Schweinsteiger comes off and Sane comes on for Germany.
(78 mins)
Change for France and Gignac comes on for Giroud. Pretty much like-for-like there.
Draxler fires the free-kick wide for Germany - it's not looking like their night. 15 minutes or so left to play in Marseille.
(76 mins)
Kante gives away a free-kick and gets a yellow card just minutes after coming on. It’s a dangerous position – central, about 25 yards out…
(74 mins)
Close for Germany as Kimmich curls a shot and hits the post!
End to end stuff now - Germany has to go for broke.
Griezmann grabs his second of the night as Neuer punches clear after a cross into the box, but the ball drops and the Frenchman is there quickest to stab the ball home.
GOAL!
2-0 to France
(68 mins)
Corner for Germany and some shoving in the box as play is held up. The ball is delivered in again, but the referee gives a free kick against Muller and France clears the danger.
Joachim Low is starting to get animated on the touchline.
(67 mins)
France breaks through Payet as he goes on a mazy run, but his shot from the edge of the box is weak and trickles out for a goal kick.
(66 mins)
An Icelandic Viking chant is heard around the ground – the Icelanders may be out of the tournament, but their famous hand clap remains!
(62 mins)
Still Germany probing away, but they seem to be lacking any real danger with only Thomas Muller as an out-and-out striker.
Manager Joachim Low will be looking to make changes soon.
Mustafi comes on for Boateng in the German defense - a big loss for the world champions.
Boateng appeared to pull a muscle while making a pass - he is set to be replaced...
(59 mins)
Boateng is down in the center of the pitch for Germany – looks as if he can’t continue…
(58 mins)
Long ball to the back post where Hector is lurking for Germany, but he can’t stretch to get any real contact on the ball.
Germany will need to be more creative to break down this French defense.
(56 mins)
A rousing rendition of the "La Marseillaise" comes from the French crowd – they are in fine voice this evening.
The Germans on the other hand are starting to look anxious...
(55 mins)
Patient build-up again from Germany – they seem happy to move the French around and try to find space for an opening, but France standing firm so far.
(53 mins)
The pattern now appears to be reverting to what it was in the first half – German possession in the French half, but can they make it count?
(49 mins)
The Germans have their first period of possession in the French half since the restart, but Sissoko does brilliantly to win the ball from Draxler, who brings down the Frenchman and gets booked.
(48 mins)
France breaks forward early and Giroud finds space on the left of the German box, but fires his shot at a German defender.
Griezmann then wins a corner as his shot fires off Boateng, but Germany clears the danger from the corner.
We are underway for the second half…
Well, what are world champions Germany made of?
They will need all their experience to come back in the second half with the French fans in the Stade Velodrome understandably ecstatic about that twist at the end of the first half.
Some stats on that Griezmann goal - the Atletico Madrid man is certainly having a good tournament so far.
Amazing – Germany looked in control and dominated possession, but it all changed right on the stroke of half-time as Germany captain Schweinsteiger handled a cross as he went up for a header.
There was a moment of confusion as the players and fans weren’t quite sure what decision had been made, but the referee eventually pointed to the spot – and gave the Germany captain a yellow card in the process.
Griezmann cooly converted the spot-kick for his fifth goal of the tournament – he is on for the golden boot.
Germany will feel hard done by, but they will have to come out fighting in the second half.
Neuer goes the wrong way for the penalty as Griezmann fires it to the left-hand side of the goal to give France the lead.
Goal!
Griezmann converts the penalty for France, right on half-time.
(46 mins)
Penalty for France!
(42 mins)
Big chance for France. Giroud races free and bears down on the French goal, but Boateng recovers to make a last-ditch block for Germany.
Giroud lacked half a yard of pace that could have taken him through.
(41 mins)
Chance for France.
Greizmann is played in on the left-hand side of the Germany penalty area, but he’s under pressure from the defender and fis into the side netting.
(40 mins)
Corner for Germany, Schweinsteiger goes down under pressure from Pogba looking for a penalty, but it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other and the referee rightly waves play on.
(39 mins)
France gives the ball away cheaply and Muller breaks but has no support and is forced to try a shot from too far out – it was never troubling Lloris in the French goal.
(37 mins)
Pogba tries his luck with the free-kick and strikes it well, but it’s too central and Neuer is equal to it, saving comfortably.
(36 mins)
Emre Can goes into the book for Germany.
France has a free-kick in a central position about 25 yards out….
(35 mins)
It’s all Germany at the moment with all the French players behind the ball – Germany patiently shifting the ball from left to right, but the attack comes to and end when Lloris gathers up a cross into the box.
Is it a matter of time before Germany gets the break-through?
(32 mins)
Chance for Germany as the ball drops dangerously in the French box, but Muller can’t get on the end of it and France scrambles the ball clear.
(30 mins)
Half an hour gone and still 0-0, but Germany is starting to get on top, with France still struggling to get out of its own half.
(29 mins)
Griezmann carries the ball forward for France but his pass to Payet is wayward – things are not gelling for France at the moment.
(26 mins)
Schweinsteiger tries his luck for Germany from outside the box with a dipping effort, but Lloris tips over the bar for a corner.
(28 mins)
France can’t seem to get out of their own half at the moment as Germany comes forward again – France needs an outlet.
(25 mins)
Payet does indeed take the free-kick and finds the target, but Neuer is down sharply to save comfortably.
(24 mins)
Payet is brought down around 30 yards from the German goal – is it a chance for one of his famous free-kicks…
(22 mins)
Germany is starting to press more and more and has spent most of the last few minutes in the French half, but hasn’t fashioned any real chances of note yet.
The atmosphere inside the Stade Velodrome is thunderous, with both sets of fans in full voice.
(21 mins)
Toni Kroos goes down in the French box looking for a penalty and feels he’s been tripped while trying to shoot, but the referee waves play on.
(17 mins)
Paul Pogba gets going for France with a surging run forward before playing the ball off to Dimitri Payet, but he lets the ball run on and ends up fouling the German defender in the box as he tries to win the ball back.
(14 mins)
Another chance in quick succession for Germany as Emre Can fires at the French goal, but Lloris makes a one-handed save to push the ball away.
(13 mins)
Chance for Germany.
A decent spell of possession for Germany and the ball is crossed into the French box, but Thomas Muller steers his shot wide while stretching – the Bayern forward is still looking for his first goal this tournament.
France President Francois Hollande in the stands.
(10 mins)
It’s goalless so far as both sides are still finding their rhythm – the Griezmann shot on 6 minutes was the closest anyone has come so far.
(5 mins)
Neither side has really settled yet and it’s been frantic so far, with both teams giving the ball away when going forward.
(7 mins)
Chance for France.
Lovely football from Griezmann as he coasts forward into the German box, forcing a full-stretch save from Manuel Neuer in the German goal.
(2 mins)
Payet breaks on the left for France and fires a cross in, which hits Emre Can. The French half-appeal for a penalty, but it was to the body of Can, appeals waved away.
We are underway at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, where the temperature is a balmy 27C (80F).
France is in its traditional blue kit, with Germany in its famous white jerseys and black shorts.
Germany – 3 key men
German manger Joachim Low will be without influential defender Mats Hummels, who is suspended, and the injured pair of Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez, but still has a wealth of experience and talent to call on.
Starting from the back, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is one of, if not the best ‘keeper in the world. Not only a fantastic shot-stopper, Neuer is fantastic with the ball at his feet and often acts as an additional sweeper for Germany.
Defender Jerome Boateng’s role will take on additional importance in the absence of center-back partner Hummels, and the Bayern man will be called on to counter the attacking threat from France.
In midfield, Germany can boast the talents of Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos, but on his day Arsenal man Mesut Ozil is one of the best playmakers in the world, and is always a threat with assists or as a source of goals himself.
France – 3 key men
France will look to the talents of midfielders Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet and attacker Antoine Griezmann to unlock the German defense.
Juventus star Pogba – rumored to be the subject of a world-record £100 million bid by Manchester United – had a quiet start to the tournament that saw him drooped for the second group game.
The 23-year-old has since been in imperious form, however, especially in the quarter-final demolition of Iceland, when he was on the scoresheet.
He will be key to France’s goal threat, and the German’s will look to ensure he does not get a clear sight at goal from anywhere within 25 yards.
Griezmann is another French player that came into Euro 2016 on the back of a strong season, and was part of the Atletico Madrid side that reached the Champions League final.
The 25-year-old leads the scoring charts at Euro 2016, with four goals to his name.
Germany’s route to the semi-final
The world champions claimed a comfortable 2-0 opening game win against Ukraine, before drawing 0-0 with the Poles in the second game and defeating Northern Ireland 1-0 in the final group game.
That meant the Germans emerged from the group stage as winners of Group C, level on seven points with Poland but ahead on goal difference.
The last-16 tie against Slovakia proved a straightforward affair, with goals from Jerome Boateng, Mario Gomez and Julian Draxler giving the Germans a 3-0 win.
Things were far from easy against Italy in the quarter-finals in Bordeaux though, and despite taking the lead in the second half thanks to Mezut Ozil’s goal, Germany was pegged back by Leonardo Bonucci’s penalty 10 minutes from time.
It stayed 1-1 through extra-time, setting the stage for a thrilling penalty shootout in which Germany missed three spot-kicks – more than they have missed in all other major tournament shootouts combined – but still emerged as 6-5 winners.
France’s route to the semi-finals
The host nation got off to a shaky start in the opening match, leaving it late to beat Romania 2-1 after a stunning goal from Dimitri Payet in the 89th minute.
The French kept their fans waiting in their second game as well, eventually beating Albania 2-0 through goals from Antoine Griezmann in the 90th minute and Dimitri Payet in the 96th minute.
A largely forgettable third group game brought a 0-0 draw with Switzerland, which was enough for France to top Group A and set up a last-16 clash with the Republic of Ireland.
France found themselves behind early against the Irish after a second-minute Robbie Brady penalty and were frustrated by a stubborn Ireland defense, but prevailed 2-1 thanks to a double from Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann.
France
The France starting line-up is the same as the one that began the quarter-final against Iceland.
Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris
Defense: Patrice Evra, Samuel Umtiti, Laurent Koscielny, Bacary Sagna
Midfield: Blaise Matuidi, Paul Pogba, Moussa Sissoko, Dimitri Payet, Antoine Griezmann
Strikers: Olivier Giroud
Germany
There are three changes to the Germany side that started against Italy in the quarter-final. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Emre Can and Julian Draxler are in.
Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer
Defense: Jonas Hector, Benedikt Howedes, Jerome Boateng, Joshua Kimmich
Midfield: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil, Julian Draxler, Emre Can, Toni Kroos
Striker: Thomas Muller