France vs Belgium LIVE World Cup 2018: France into World Cup final - latest reaction from St Petersburg
Follow all the action from the first semi-final of the 2018 World Cup
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Your support makes all the difference.France and Belgium face off in the first semi-final of the 2018 World Cup in what promises to be one of the games of the tournament.
France are here after seeing off Argentina and Uruguay in the knockout stages with Kylian Mbappe continue to rise as one of the games ascending stars. Belgium have moved through the gears in Russia with the performance to dump Brazil out last time out one of the very best of the last three weeks.
Coaches Didier Deschamps and Roberto Martinez have their detractors but have delivered here and are now 90 - or 120 - minutes away from a shot at immortality. It should be a thriller.
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What time does it start?
The game kicks off at 7pm in St Petersburg
Where can I watch it?
The match is being shown live on BBC1. You can also watch it via the BBC Sport website.
How they got here?
France have warmed to this tournament rather than exploded into it with their group stage progression characterised by what have been rather than what did actually come to be. Australia were seen off but only via a late own goal before Peru fell to Mbappe's first goal in Russia. The less said about the Denmark snoozefest the better before Les Bleus showed what is possible with a supreme performance to see off Argentina in the last-16 with that man Mbappe coming of age on a balmy summer afternoon in Kazan. Next the quarter-final and another solid if unspectacular display as Uruguay were sent packing thanks to goals from Raphael Varane and Antoine Griezmann (and a monumental howler from Fernando Muslera).
Belgium themselves have flattered to deceive at times with Panama and Tunisia negotiated without too much trouble before England were also seen off, albeit with a second team in Nizhny Novgorod. Japan threatened to end the dream in the last-16 before Nacer Chadli's last-gasp, extra-time winner saved them. The quarter-finals saw Brazil ousted in a performance to put the whole world on notice as the five-time winners were sent home thanks to vintage displays by De Bruyne and Hazard.
Head-to-head
These two have met some 73 times down the years, the first of which coming way back in 1904 (a 3-3 draw for those wondering). They haven't met competitively since the 1986 World Cup - a 4-2 win for Michel Platini's side - while the last time they faced each other was back in 2014 when the Belgian's triumphed 4-3 with Hazard scoring what proved to be the winner.
Odds
France 29/20
Belgium 11/5
Prediction
France 1-3 Belgium: This is one of the match-ups of the tournament with the two, pound-for-pound best squads going toe to toe in St Petersburg. Both offer an abundance of threat going forwards and while Les Bleus possess the more sturdy defence that fearsome Red Devils front three are in the form of their lives. Expect De Bruyne to have a big game with Romelu Lukaku perhaps the difference maker.
48 mins: Witsel with a great cross into Lukaku, but he can only head over the bar. Better. You wonder if he had a chat with his teammates during the break about getting a few more crosses in...
51 MINS: GOAL! France 1-0 Belgium (Samuel Umtiti)
Samuel Umtiti gets the opener for France! Yet another set play finds the opener in this World Cup, a corner this time and somehow Umtiti rises above Fellaini of all people to head home.
53 mins: We just caught sight of Roberto Martinez on the touchline, as he takes a massive gulp of air and re-evaluates the situation. His bench has plenty of talent, as does Deschamps, and this one is far from done and dusted
55 mins: Antoine Griezmann delivers a free kick from the left, but Kompany clears away. France trying to assert their dominace here and find a second
Not many players can rise above Marouane Fellaini, but Samuel Umtiti did, and in a World Cup semi-final too
57 mins: Kylian Mbappe is having a ridiculously good game. Again. It's effortless, from his explosive pace, to quick feet and tantalising skills, all as he plays with a grin on his face, and the freedom of a child in his back yard. Great to see.
60 mins: Martinez blinks first. Mertens replaces Dembele on the hour mark
Takes a whole new meaning to sitting on the fence...or in this case the bench. But you know what I mean.
65 mins: CLOSE! It's Fellaini! So, so close to an equaliser as Fellaini overpowers Pogba in the air but heads just wide.
67 mins: France break forward again, Mbappe to Griezmann, and finally Giroud who fires over.
Not the best couple of minutes for De Bruyne. A couple of stray passes, something of a collectors item for those that watch him at Manchester City. Lukaku is the one danger Belgium haven't really got the most from, and De Bruyne must try to play him in more in the closing stages.
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