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.
87 mins: Kante picks up a yellow card for a foul on Hazard. A free kick for Belgium but looks just out of De Bruyne's range. Or is it?
88 mins: It may not have gone into the net but it caused plenty of confusion. Ricochet after ricochet but none find a Belgium limb
90 mins: Six minutes added time! That's six for Belgium to find an equaliser. Plenty of time left, but France have a free kick before they can attack.
Chadli OFF, Batshuayi ON for Belgium
95 mins: Pressure time is ticking away as Vertonghen fouls Mbappe and France have possession. Still time for a Belgian attack
96 mins: Courtois saves from Tolisso! He's done nothing wrong this evening, and will feel unlucky to be exiting the tournament. it looks impossible for Belgium to get the ball down field in time
FULL TIME: France 1-0 Belgium
Samuel Umtiti has the only goal of the game, which sinks Belgium's golden generation at the final hurdle. Every single one of the French players gave everything, and neither England or Croatia will underestimate the size of the task ahead of them to beat France in the final.
Belgium played well, but lacked that cutting edge to find a goal, and Romelu Lukaku offered little. Now, they will await either England or Croatia in the third place match, and will be wishing they could have re-created their performance against Brazil.
Losing manager Roberto Martinez discusses the fine margins that separated the two sides post-match:
"I think unfortunately for us the difference is a dead ball situation. The game was very close, very tight and it was going to be decided by the one that could get the final touch in front of the goal.
"We need to be understanding that one team wins and the other one loses but if you are going to lose it should be how we did it the players gave everything.
"Now we need to almost get rid of this disappointment, we have one game left and we need to finish on a high, the players don't deserve to go out without that high. We wanted to get into the final and the players showed an incredible togetherness."
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