Germany vs France Euro 2016 as it happened: Antoine Griezmann fires France into final with Portugal

Follow live coverage of tonight's clash at the Stade Vélodrome

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Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of Thursday's Euro 2016 semi-final clash between Germany and France.

Germany vs France

Kick-off: 8.00pm

• The night Toni Schumacher escaped horror challenge on Patrick Battiston
• Danny Higginbotham: Les Bleus have found form just in time to reach the final
• Didier Deschamps asks his players to 'write history'
• Paul Pogba and Bastian Schweinsteiger's generation game can decide their fates
• France is falling in love with Les Bleus all over again
• Michael Owen's tips for semi-finals: Germany vs France

Follow live coverage of tonight's clash at the Stade Vélodrome on our live blog below...

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Match facts

This will be the fifth encounter between Germany and France at a major finals tournament, their first in the European Championships. France won the first meeting (6-3 in 1958) whilst Germany came out on top in the next three (3-3, 5-4 on penalties in 1982; 2-0 in 1986; 1-0 in 2014).

Germany and France have won 36% of the European Championships (5 out of 14), three and two respectively. They are the top two scorers in the history of the tournament (72 goals for Germany, 60 for France).

Alain Giresse is the last French player to score against Germany at a major finals tournament; coming in the 1982 World Cup semi-final.

France have never kept a clean sheet in their four meetings with Germany at major finals tournaments.

France and Germany's last head-to-head dates back to 13 November 2015. Didier Deschamps' men won 2-0 in a friendly at the Stade de France.

[7 July 2016 19:21 · Sami Khedira]

We'll keep our fingers crossed for tonight's game! You can make it, guys! ⚽️ #GERFRA #JederFuerJeden #EUR2016 http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CmyBA2hWgAA7y7G.jpg

[7 July 2016 21:07 · Samuel Stevens]

45 mins - Germany 0 France 1: We're back under way in Marseille and France have started the second half like they did the first, on the front foot. But they lost steam before the break before being handed an enormous lucky break. 45 minute stands between them and the final in Paris.