Today in the World Cup, the first semi-final match was played, after which it became clear that the first finalist of the tournament was France.
Stopping Belgium's triumphant march and not allowing their opponents to score, the French secured a 1-0 victory thanks to Samuel Umtiti's goal and advanced to the championship final.
Both teams started the game actively, but lacked accuracy in crucial attacking phases. In the 15th minute, Eden Hazard hit a shot from a sharp angle next to the goal, and the French responded with a long shot from Blaise Matuidi.
In the 21st minute, after a corner kick, Toby Alderweireld executed a great shot, but Hugo Lloris demonstrated excellent reflexes, saving his team. A few minutes later, Kevin De Bruyne made a sharp pass into the penalty area, but Samuel Umtiti was the first to reach the ball, neutralizing the danger.
In the second half, the French were more dangerous: Olivier Giroud missed twice trying to score after a penalty kick and during a quick attack, and in the 39th minute, Benjamin Pavard had the best chance in the first half for his team. However, his shot with the foot was blocked by Thibaut Courtois, and after 45 minutes of play, the score remained tied at 0-0.
At the start of the second half, both teams' forwards had their chances - Romelu Lukaku and O. Giroud. Lukaku headed the ball over the goal, while Vincent Kompany dealt with Giroud's shot.
After Giroud's shot, the French earned a corner kick, during which S. Umtiti rose high and sent the ball into Belgium's goal, putting the French team ahead 1-0.
In the 57th minute, Kylian Mbappe shone, creating a chance for O. Giroud with a fantastic pass, but Giroud once again failed to score.
In the 65th minute, Marouane Fellaini had a chance for the Belgium team, but his header flew just past the French goal.
Throughout the rest of the match, Belgium lacked accuracy, and it was their opponents who created chances. However, neither team managed to score more goals, and the match ended with a minimal 1-0 victory for France.
Recalling that the French team reached the semi-finals by winning Group C, defeating Argentina 4-3 in the round of 16, and beating Uruguay 2-0 in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, the Belgians won Group H battles, and in the knockout stages, they first defeated Japan 3-2, and then Brazil 2-1.
#FRA WIN! @FrenchTeam are in the #WorldCupFinal! #FRABEL // #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/yPDKMKPpdt — FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 10, 2018
