Semi-Final Recap 1 - Belgium vs France

France will meet either Croatia or England under the bright lights of the Luzhniki Stadium on Monday morning, where viewing figures are once more expected to show that in excess of a billion viewers will be glued to their televisions across the globe. Les Bleus are there, and led by World Cup winner and footballing pragmatist Didier Deschamps have taken the most laborious and stunningly difficult route there. Just as they did in 2016, overcoming Germany to make the final in Paris, France have toppled Argentina, Uruguay and now Belgium in their conquests. The Belgians represented perhaps their biggest challenge yet, with the heavily French influenced nation boasting the most goals at the tournament, notching 14 and contributing the final blow to Brazil and that memorable comeback against Japan in the Round of 16.

France under Deschamps have now played in nine knockout matches, and have won seven of them. The two losses came against the eventual winners of both tournaments and proved far from humiliating - which is why the French Football Association persevered with him when many were calling for his head throughout the past two years. The former midfielder does not boast an enthralling attacking style, nor do his sides appear beautiful to watch, but they are effective. He is very much a ‘safety first’ type of manager - happy to keep the danger away from his sides goal and aware of the threats playing an expansive brand can impart on a team. This was evidenced in his enduring decision to employ Blaise Matuidi, a natural midfielder on the left hand side - he has the tools to put Ousmane Dembele, Nabil Fekir, Florian Thauvin or even the excluded Kingsley Coman or Anthony Martial out there but invariably opts for the security a player like Matuidi provides there, tracking back and snuffing out any movements down there for the opposing right fullback.

The manager has also settled on an 11 he is willing to pick on a regular basis, with the back four staying consistent throughout; the young Benjamin Pavard, who made his inaugural bow for France in the opener against Australia is now the nailed on right back. Lucas Hernandez of Atletico the left back who has performed consistently after making the side ahead of Man City’s Benjamin Mendy, who looked the obvious pick. The pairing of Varane and Umtiti is youthful and picks itself - both players plying their trade for both Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona. It is this foundation that the team has been built on. Some early tinkering with the front line that saw Olivier Giroud come back into the picture up front and Ousmane Dembele being displaced has also resulted in a consistent set of selections ahead of the solid back four. With the industrious Kante and more than capable Paul Pogba beside him Deschamps has delivered a system the French public is familiar with, and one that it respects.

Belgium were the contrary going into the match. After seemingly deciding on a nailed on starting 11 in the group stages and going down 2-0 to Japan in the Round of 16, the adventurous Roberto Martinez rung in the changes, and they worked. The eventual 3-2 win courtesy of goals from substitutes Fellaini and Chadli who both changed the game markedly. The mistake for Martinez came in keeping these two in the side. Against Brazil Fellaini played in a midfield two alongside former Zenit midfielder Axel Witsel and they were effective but uninspiring. It worked as Fellaini bullied the Brazilian midfield who were devoid of creativity, but the languid and slow Fellaini looked poor today against the quick and youthful verve of the French midfield, whose pace and trickery amounted to more than the Belgian’s could even dream of. Dembele did come into the side to assist the two midfielders but was isolated and poor for large parts before being substituted. Martinez also kept Nacer Chadli in the side, a player who only made five appearances for Premier League side West Brom, a part of the relegated party. The wingback was poor and offered little in attack as Belgium missed Thomas Meunier who was absent due to a suspension acquired in the Brazil game.

The game itself was a strange one - Belgium looked the more dominant variable in the first 20 minutes, with Hazard and then Alderweireld going close, but as time wore on France’s influence grew. Their influence grew, but it almost seemed in spite of Olivier Giroud rather than because of him - the French threat on the break is lowered when the slow Giroud is in the side and he was poor yet again today - this now his seventh game without a shot on target.

After 45 minutes it was 0-0, the score painting a picture of a dull affair, which this was not. Both sides were attacking and it was strange to see a game be so entertaining and not offering any goals, an aspect of the game that changed swiftly after half time when six minutes deep Samuel Umtiti converted a powerful effort beyond the helpless Thibaut Courtois. Griezmann’s delivery was excellent and the way Umtiti wrangled his way around the huge presence of Fellaini in the box was admirable; France deserving of the lead.

That would prove to be the last goal of the Semi which would end at 1-0 and force Belgium to play the dreaded third place play-off. Belgium have been great for the tournament, offering numerous memorable moments which will endure in the memories of fans for years to come, but France were so assured that they deserve their place in the final. Deschamps’ pragmatism has once again delivered and whoever they play on Monday, be it England or Croatia, will be definite underdogs. Will Deschamps emulate his 1998 winners medal as a coach and can they win the World Cup for a second time? It is hard to see them losing, especially with Kylian Mbappe looking this good, but as evidenced at Euro 2016, anything can happen.