THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018 18

French Hugo Lloris charge on defensive strength

AFP | Saint Petersburg, Russia left-back ’s Tuesday’s performance was the to argue with. cross levelled Les Bleus’ last- best defensive display during rance have a much-vaunt- 16 tie with Argentina at 2-2 af- BETTER his reign. ‘More mature’ ed attack but it is their de- ter ’ side fell “We had to defend deep, very As France look to make amends I am very happy for fence marshalled by Sam- behind for the first time in the deep at times because Belgium for losing to Portugal on home F KNOW my players. I’m very uel Umtiti and Raphael Varane tournament. have technical quality. The idea soil two years ago, the presence that is impressing at the World Mbappe then took centre-stage was not to give them space be- of Varane could make the dif- proud of them. It was Cup -- at both ends of the pitch. in a thrilling 4-3 win on the only cause they’ve rolled over every- ference. hard against a very Centre-back Umtiti scored the occasion the French defence one (in reaching the semi-fi - Fresh from winning his fourth good Belgium team. I only goal in Tuesday’s semi-final have looked vulnerable in Rus- France have nals), even Brazil.” Champions League title at just take my hat off to my to condemn Belgium’s ‘golden sia. become the sixth On the few occasions the French 25 with Real , Varane players and my staff. generation’ to the third-place Varane headed the opener in country to reach defence has been breached, cap- missed the Euros two years ago Finals have to be won playoff in Russia. a 2-0 quarter-final win against the World Cup Fi- tain Hugo Lloris has come up due to a thigh injury. because we have still For the third straight knock- Uruguay as Luis Suarez was shut with big saves against Uruguay Rivals at club level, he and Bar- out match, France needed a out. nal three times or and Belgium. Deschamps’ cau- celona’s Umtiti have formed a not got over the one game-changing goal from a de- And , Kevin De more, after Germa- tious approach does not win ad- strong partnership with a com- we lost two years ago fender despite boasting a fear- Bruyne and ny (eight), Brazil mirers from all quarters. bination of aerial power and FRANCE COACH DIDIER DESCHAMPS some attacking pair of 19-year- could not break through in Saint (six), Italy (six), Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut speed across the ground. “ old sensation Kylian Mbappe Petersburg as France registered Argentina (five) Courtois declared the result “a As in 2016, the dynamic with- and Euro 2016 Golden Boot win- a fourth clean sheet in six World and Netherlands shame for football”. in the team is very good, but ner . Cup games to reach the final. (three) But the success of reaching the the team is more mature. Right-back ’s “The defence was excellent,” World Cup final after also play- There is more experience,” said stunning long-range effort from said Deschamps when asked if ing in the Euro 2016 final is hard Varane. We have to give a lot of credit to the way France defended, even having certain ‘At the gates of paradise’: Pogba dedicates attacking players defending very deep French media see and giving us a lot of France win to Thai respect in that way World Cup coming BELGIUM COACH ROBERTO MARTINEZ home cave survivors AFP | Saint Petersburg, Russia AFP | Paris aul Pogba dedicated France’s World Cup I am happy with the rance’s march into the World Cup final dominated the nation’s Psemi-final win against Belgium to the 12 boys performance of my Fheadlines yesterday, with many already predicting a second title who survived a harrowing ordeal trapped un- team-mates. We for “Les Bleus” in Moscow on Sunday no matter who they face. derground in Thailand. defended and scored “The Blue Dream Continues” wrote Le Figaro after Following the 1-0 win in Saint Peters- a goal on a set-piece. a night of celebrations by fans who poured into the burg, Manchester United midfielder It was a bit like streets after the 1-0 win over Belgium, watched by Pogba tweeted: “This victory goes Atletico. It’s amazing 19 million according to French broadcaster TF1. to the heroes of the day, well done “Didier Deschamps is still on track to join boys, you are so strong.” to see the joy we can Brazilian legend Mario Zagalle and Germany’s FIFA boss Gianni Infantino had give. This was the , the only two heros who invited the boys’ Wild Boars goal I had set myself have reigned over planet football as both player football team to Sunday’s at the beginning of and coach,” the broadsheet wrote. World Cup final last week. the tournament Deschamps was captain when France won its But FIFA said it had first World Cup in 1998, a victory which sparked been informed “that due FRANCE FORWARD ANTOINE GRIEZMANN an outpouring of national pride and jubilation to medical reasons, the still vivid for millions. boys will not be in a “Les Bleus grabbed the Devils by the tail in a position to travel to spectacular match,” wrote Le Parisien, confi- Moscow”. dent the team is already “at gates of paradise”. “FIFA’s priority No matter if they end up facing England or remains the health Croatia, “they’ll be the favourites for the ulti- of everyone in - It was a frustrating mate title,” the paper claimed, dubbing the team volved in the op- match. France didn’t “The Incredibles”. eration and we play at all, they “There’s no Zinedine Zidane but a bunch of will look into great players surrounded by good players. It’s finding a new op- defended with 11 more of a team, a collective instead of a group portunity to invite players within 40 gathered around a genius.” the boys to a FIFA metres of their goal. “There’s still one match to go, but they’ve event to share with They played on the got a freeway in front of them and no more toll them a moment of counter-attack with booths,” Yeo Mariba, the mother of midfielder communion and cel- (Kylian) Mbappe, , told the paper while leaving the ebration,” a spokesman who is very quick. stadium in Saint Petersburg. said. Sports daily L’Equipe, hailing the team’s FIFA also expressed condo- That’s their right. “spectacular mastery of the ball and strategy, lences to the family of a Thai They know when an also said a second “star” was in reach. Navy SEAL who died after run- opponent plays very “A second star which would propel them ning out of oxygen during the deep, that’s where we into another galaxy, that of repeat world Paul Pogba rescue operation on Friday. have problems champions, alongside Italy, Uruguay, Brazil, “Our thoughts are with his fam- BELGIUM GOALKEEPER THIBAUT Germany and Argentina,” it said. ily,” FIFA said. COURTOIS