France, one of the favourites for the FIFA World Cup 2018, sealed their spot in the Round of 16 with a 1-0 Group C win over Peru at the Central Stadium in Yekaterinburg on Thursday evening. On the other hand, Peru have been knocked out after two consecutive losses to Denmark and France. Kylian Mbappe scored the lone goal of the match in the 34th minute which proved to be the difference between the two teams. Get highlights of France vs Peru, FIFA World Cup 2018 Group C encounter, here. (FIFA World Cup 2018 FULL COVERAGE)
22:25 hrs IST: Thanks for following the blog
22:40 hrs IST: Despite 56% of ball possession, Peru failed to score a goal on Thursday
22:35 hrs IST: Kylian Mbappe, the goal scorer, has been named Man of the Match
22:30 hrs IST: France have entered the Round of 16 while Peru have to exit the World Cup in the first round itself
22:24 hrs IST: France win 1-0 and enter the last 16
22:20 hrs IST: Four minutes of extra time
22:17 hrs IST: Chance for Peru… but straight into the hands of Lloris
22:13 hrs IST: Fekir comes in to replace Griezmann
22:10 hrs IST: 10 more minutes and France will be through to Round of 16
22:05 hrs IST: Mbappe is subbed and Dembele comes in
22:01 hrs IST: And less than 17 minutes left for the match and with that hangs Peru’s survival in the tournament
21:55 hrs IST: Peru are on the lookout for an equaliser here now and quite desperately. A loss will mean they are out of the World Cup
21:50 hrs IST: France are unbeaten in World Cup matches when they have held a lead at half-time – winning 19 and drawing one on the 20 previous occasions
21:43 hrs IST: Free-kick for France. Can they extend their lead?
21:39 hrs IST: Samuel Umtiti looks seriously injured and is walking off
21:36 hrs IST: 32,789 is the official attendance today.
21:30 hrs IST: France have had only 47 percent of possession and Peru 53 at half-time
21:25 hrs IST: Kylian Mbappe is now the youngest French goal-scorer at a World Cup, aged 19 years and 183 days, surpassing David Trezeguet (20 years and 246 days)
21:20 hrs IST: And it is half-time! The French are 1-0 ahead at the break thanks to the Mbappe goal
21:17 hrs IST: Two minutes of extra time
21:14 hrs IST: Giroud broke in behind the Peru defence and when his strike towards the net struck a defender and looped over the goalkeeper, Mbappe was left with the simplest finish to break the deadlock
21:12 hrs IST: GOAL! Mbappe puts France ahead 1-0 in the 34th minute!
21:10 hrs IST: However, France are unbeaten in their past seven World Cup matches against CONMEBOL opposition, a run that spans 40 years
21:07 hrs IST: In the only previous meeting between the two sides, Peru were victorious when they won a friendly in April 1982
21:03 hrs IST: Paolo Guerrero of Peru has been booked now. Both teams have got one yellow so far
21:00 hrs IST: Ball possession has been 50-50 so far. Good competition so far from Peru
20:57 hrs IST: After 24 minutes it is still 0-0
20:56 hrs IST: A lot of support for Peru in Ekaterinburg today, clearly outnumbering that of France fans
20:53 hrs IST: France’sBlaise Matuidi has been shown a yellow by the referee, the first of the match
20:51 hrs IST: France clearly look the favourites as of now
20:48 hrs IST: Another corner for the Europeans and….. misses the net again
20:45 hrs IST: It is a corner for France and goes a waste
20:40 hrs IST: Griezmannnnnnnnnnnn… goes wide at the end
20:37 hrs IST: France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is playing his 100th international
20:32 hrs IST: Meanwhile, over one million fans have attended games at the World Cup, organisers FIFA said on Thursday after Denmark’s 1-1 draw with Australia, the 21st match of the tournament
20:30 hrs IST: Anthems are over. It is play time!
20:28 hrs IST: France have not lost to a South American opposition at a World Cup since 1978
20:25 hrs IST: Earlier, in the day Denmark were held to a 1-1 draw against Spain. You can read the report here
20:20 hrs IST:
WhileFrance won their first match of the tournament against Australia 2-1, Peru lost to Denmark 0-1
20:15 hrs IST: For Peru, Jefferson Farfan and Renato Tapia are pushed to the bench with Pedro Aquino coming in. Guerrero, 34, is Peru’s all-time top goal-scorer but was cleared to play in the tournament only two weeks before it started when he won a reprieve from a doping ban over a cocaine byproduct contained in a tea he drank
20:10 hrs IST: France and Peru both switched their attacking line-ups for their Group C match with ‘Les Bleus’ bringing in the experienced Olivier Giroud and Paolo Guerrero starting. Coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged that France had lacked dynamism in attack in their first game against Australia, where they laboured to a 2-1 victory. In the French starting lineup Giroud and Blaise Matuidi come in to replace Ousmane Dembele and Corentin Tolisso
20:05: hrs IST: The match will be played at the Central Stadium in Yekaterinburg
20:00 hrs IST: Hello and welcome to the live blog of the Group C match between France and Peru
Didier Deschamps’s team were far from fluid against Australia in their opening game in Russia, needing VAR (the Video Assistant Referee) and consequent Antoine Griezmann penalty, then an own goal about 10 minutes from time, to snatch a 2-1 win.
But, while unconvincing, a French side featuring a misfiring front three of the usually prolific Griezmann and starlets Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele at least avoided embarrassment. Peru, backed by their vocal fans who have travelled in numbers, were the better side for long spells against the Danes and missed a golden opportunity to go in front when Christian Cueva ballooned his penalty over Kasper Schmeichel’s crossbar.
Another defeat for Peru, who will again be sporting their distinctive red sash shirts, could spell the end of their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds, in their first World Cup since 1982.
Source: HindustanTimes