FRIDAY, JULY 6, 2018 18 Breaking the brick wall Uruguay’s immoveable defence ready for France’s unstoppable Mbappe AFP | Nizhny Novgorod, Russia And while France pin their hopes on the World Cup. between them. They are supremely is knowing best how to utilise Mbappe Kylian Mbappe, it is unlikely that the They passed through the group stage well-organised and have already served and his fellow attacking danger, An- he build-up to today’s quarter-fi- teenage superstar has encountered a without conceding a goal, and the only notice that Mbappe will not have the toine Griezmann. nal clash between France and defence quite like Uruguay’s. player to score against Uruguay was same kind of freedom he enjoyed The French limped through their TUruguay has been dominated The mouth-watering last-eight tie in Portugal’s Pepe in the last 16, and that against Argentina. group stage but burst to life in their by individuals, but it may be the South Nizhny Novgorod is likely to be decided was ultimately in vain. “If you let France have space it will be exhilarating 4-3 last-16 win over Argen- Americans’ almost unbreachable four- by a battle between Uruguay’s stifling Brazil are the only other team to have very difficult,” Uruguay’s coach Oscar tina, inspired by Paris Saint-Germain’s man defence which decides the result. backline and the speed of Mbappe, 19. conceded just the solitary goal so far. Tabarez said after securing a place in $220 million (188m euro) Mbappe. While Uruguay sweat on the fitness Led by captain Diego Godin, and Uruguay have conceded three fewer the quarter-finals. Didier Deschamps, France’s coach, of striker Edinson Cavani, it should be including Jose Gimenez, Martin Cac- goals than France. Both teams have And he has also insisted that he is has already indicated that he is ex - remembered that La Celeste’s progress eres and Diego Laxalt, along with goal- scored seven times. happy to cede possession to France in pecting a different kind of game from in Russia has been built upon their keeper Fernando Muslera, Uruguay’s Between them, the experienced de- a bid to make the last four. “solid” Uruguay from the seven-goal defence as much as their A-list attack. defence have the joint-best record at fence have over 350 international caps France’s conundrum against Uruguay thriller in Kazan. Friday July 6 Nizhni-Novgorod URUGUAY 1400 GMT5 PM Stadium FRANCE Nickname | La Celeste (The Sky Blue) Nickname | Les Bleus (The Blues) Edinson Cavani was the hero for Uruguay URUGUAY FRANCE Blaise Matuidi is suspended for France against Portugal last time out but the Paris Luis Kylian due to an accumulation of yellow cards. Saint-Germain striker will reportedly not Suarez Mbappé Ousmane Dembele will hope to profit with be fit enough to start against France. To Aged 31 Aged 19 a start. make matters worse Luis Suárez picked Other than that, Didier Deschamps is not up a knock in training during Uruguay’s expected to make any unforced changes preperations, but is expected to be fine. OF QUARTER-FINALISTS from the side that started against Argentina With Cavani set to miss out on a starting in the round of 16. berth, Uruguay have a big decision to make. Djibril Sidibe is still an injury concern Make a like-for-like replacement and start for the Euro 2016 finalists but Benjamin Cristhian Stuani or youngster Maxi Gomez Pavard is safe to start at right-back. or use this opportunity to start an extra Samuel Umtiti was fit enough to start midfielder. GOALS against Argentina in the round of 16 and 14 0 Rodrigo Bentancur will miss the semi-fi- 12 1 will continue in defence for France here. nals if he is booked against France and 10 2 Olivier Giroud, Corentin Tolisso, Paul 8 3 Uruguay progress. 6 Pogba and Pavard will incur a one-match WORLD CUP PERFORMANCESScored 4 4 5 ban if they are booked against Uruguay. 2 6 Conceded 14 FIFA ranking SHOTS GAME FIFA ranking 7 80 40 480 2 70 RECORD 30 460 RECORD 60 Attempted 1.5 st Km covered*440 st 1 round 50 20 1 round thousands 40 420 1 1 0 Egypt 10 0.7 2 1 Australia On target 400 Completed passes FOULS 70 1 0 S. Arabia 40 1 0 Peru 60 50 50 3 0 Russia Suffered 60 0 0 Denmark 40 70 Deschamps Coach Last 16 30 Committed Last 16 Didier Oscar Tabarez 2 1 Portugal 4 3 Argentina Coach (URU) Uruguay players celebrate Kylian Mbappe celebrates POSSIBLE LINE-UPS WORLD CUP RECORD Champion Finalist Participant Did not qualify POSSIBLE LINE-UPS th Fernando Muslera; Martin Caceres, Jose 13 participation Hugo Lloris; Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Maria Gimenez, Diego Godin, Diego Laxalt; Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Lucas Hernandez; Nahitan Nandez, Lucas Torreira, Matias 1930 1934 1938 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 N’Golo Kante, Paul Pogba; Kylian Mbappe, Vecino, Rodrigo Bentancur, Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann, Corentin Tolisso; Edinson Cavani/Cristhian Stuani Olivier Giroud 15th participation Sources: federations, FIFA *Total of all players Factbox • Uruguay are unbeaten at the 2018 World Cup and have kept three clean sheets in four matches. About Mbappe, everybody knows he’s 2014 it was another adversary, and another • The South American side are sweating on Edinson Cavani’s fitness, as a really good player, he’s like (Thierry) France team. What’s important is to maintain his absence would be a real blow. Henry a few years ago. But I think we a high level. A quarter-final in 2014, a final have a really good defence to control at UEFA EURO 2016, and now a quarter-final • France overcame Argentina in a seven-goal thriller but they still need again. my team is competitive, that’s what it more from Antoine Griezmann. him - but not just one player, the (whole) France team. looks like to me • Neither side have completely convinced at the 2018 World Cup and will FRENCH COACH DIDIER DESCHAMPS either have enough to win in regular time? URUGUAY’S LUIS SUAREZ BETTER Tabarez adds youth to experience KNOW Reuters | Moscow South American group, while scoring more goals than anyone bar first-placed ruguay will arrive at next year’s Brazil. The reason for their optimism will UWorld Cup more upbeat than at be precisely because of that ability to put The team that lost any time in recent memory after easing the ball in the net. the European Cham- through the qualifying campaign to book Striker Luis Suarez gets most of the at Seef District too pionship final has their spot in Russia. attention but players have chipped in never gone on to The Uruguayans, champions in 1930 with goals from all over the pitch, with Um al Hassan +973 17728699 reach the final of the and 1950, have struggled to qualify for fellow forward Edinson Cavani topping Seef District +973 17364999 next World Cup. The soccer’s biggest tournament in recent the South American scoring chart with previous best by a editions, scraping through via intercon- 10, twice as many as Suarez. tinental playoffs in 2002, 2010 and 2014, The 30-year-old Paris St Germain play- reigning EURO run- while missing out altogether in 2006. er has started season well and if he can ner-up was third by Yet it was plain sailing this time around keep that run going in Russia then Uru- Germany in 2010 as they finished second in the 10-team guay will strike fear into many a defence..