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.
That's a stat and a half. It's been a tournament for defenders getting on the scoresheet.
71 mins: Alderweireld picks up a caution for a foul on Matuidi as he broke forward
With Kylian Mbappe in his team, the supreme talent of Antoine Griezmann seems to have gone under the radar
75 mins: Belgium making plenty of fouls as they try to prevent the speed of the French counter attack. Belgium need something extra, a moment of magic perhaps from one of their stars to breakthrough an increasingly determined French defence
78 mins: It's not often you can say this, but Kevin De Bruyne has been poor. Particularly in this second half. Belgium need much, much more from him.
Meanwhile, France's newest and brightest star Kylian Mbappe continues to draw free kicks from the opposition. Could he be the man to replace Ronaldo at Real Madrid? On this form it looks as though he would be a good fit.
80 mins: Fellaini replaced by Carrasco. Just as Hazard is felled by Giroud on the edge of the area, and ludicrously the referee plays on. Not many more obvious fouls than that.
82 mins: SAVE! Witsel hits a long range effort that forces Lloris into a decent save. Belgium are looking the more likely to score, but France so, so dangerous on the break
84 mins: The giant figure of Nzonzi is on the sideline and ready to replace Giroud for France. He may not have lit up the World Cup for his finishing, but Giroud has worked tirelessly for his team, at times almost as a midfielder
France have looked assured defensively so far, five or so minutes left to hold out
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