As It Happened: France 4-3 Argentina

Hello and welcome to Nigerianeye's live coverage of the World Cup encounter between France and Argentina.


After both nations failed to impress during the group stages, the 1998 winners and the 2014 runners-up get the knockout stages underway in Kazan.

France progressed from Group C with seven points but Les Bleus are yet to produce the kind of football that is expected from their star-studded squad.

Argentina edged through to the last 16 with a dramatic 2-1 triumph over Nigeria, but Jorge Sampaoli's team have looked disjointed during the majority of their first three outings at this tournament.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

ARGENTINA: Armani; Mercado, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico; Mascherano, Perez, Bangea; Di Maria, Pavon, Messi

FRANCE: Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Kante, Pogba; Mbappe, Griezmann, Matuidi; Giroud

























After a mass brawl which saw a number of yellow cards, the full-time whistle finally goes and France can celebrate a place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup courtesy of a 4-3 victory. Mbappe was the star of the show with two goals and an assist for the opening penalty but this performance from Les Bleus was a step up from their previous efforts in this tournament. Argentina are on their way home despite finding the back of the net on three occasions. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!

90+5 min FULL TIME: France 4-3 Argentina

90+3 min Messi delivers an outrageous cross into the penalty area and Aguero sends a header inside of the near post from six yards out.

90+3 min GOAL! France 4-3 Argentina (Sergio Aguero)

90 min There will be four minutes of added-on time.

89 min SUBSTITUTION! France's third change sees Thauvin introduced in place of Mbappe. Take a bow.

87 min Argentina are starting to press forward but it is all too little too late. There is no danger of an Argentina comeback here.

85 min CHANCE! We are nearly treated to a wonderful individual goal from Messi. The forward maneuvers his way past two France defenders before getting the opportunity to shoot on goal from 14 yards out but he miscues his effort straight at Lloris.

83 min SUBSTITUTION! France make a second change with Fekir coming on to replace Griezmann.

81 min CHANCE! Half a chance for Argentina as Messi finds Meza on the right-hand side of the box but the substitute's cross is deflected into the hands of Lloris.

79 min I've said it before but again, Argentina remain flat. France are in full control and are prepared to remain patient for another opportunity. Based on this performance, they could take some stopping.

77 min That is a sign that Deschamps has decided to tighten things up with less than 15 minutes to go. Longs ball to Mbappe and Griezmann are going to be the order of the day.

75 min SUBSTITUTION! A change for both teams with Meza replacing Pavon for Argentina and Tolisso coming on for Matuidi for France.

72 min BOOKING! Matuidi has gone into the book for something. I have no reason what. However, it is significant because he will now be suspended for the last eight.

70 min SHOT! More and more space is opening up in the Argentina defence and Giroud is teed up to score a fifth for France. However, he slices a volley wide of the near post. Difficult chance.

68 min Game over, surely. France put together a lovely team move and it ends with Giroud playing the ball through to Mbappe, who runs onto the ball and powers a low shot into the far corner of the net.

68 min GOAL! France 4-2 Argentina (Kylian Mbappe)

66 min SUBSTITUTION! It's Aguero time. The Manchester City striker replaces Perez.

64 min France take the lead! A cross is only half-cleared to Mbappe, who once again shows a quick turn a pace before getting a shot away. It's from an acute angle and well-struck, but Mbappe's low effort goes under Armani and into the net. What a game!

64 min GOAL! France 3-2 Argentina (Kylian Mbappe)

63 min Argentina are starting to look a little flat. They are no longer showing the energy and commitment to tackles and France are being allowed to do what they want with the ball.

61 min We are having a bit of a lull in the action. I think that everyone is stunned by that goal from Pavard. It was his first for his country too.

59 min What a game we have on our hands! I expected this to be tight and nervy but we are being treated. There are more goals to come too.

57 min Forget Di Maria's goal, Pavard has just topped it! A cross from the left went all the way through to the young full-back on the edge of the area and he has directed a swerving volley into the far corner of the net. It's a sensational hit, much like Nacho's for Spain against Portugal.

57 min GOAL! France 2-2 Argentina (Benjamin Pavard)

56 min Fazio - you lucky, lucky boy. There is a mix up between the centre back and Armani, with Fazio hitting a back-pass behind the goalkeeper, but the defender gets back to save a certain goal ahead of Griezmann.

55 min Even if Argentina net a third, I wouldn't write France off in this match. They are managing their emotions and their energy levels, unlike Argentina. They also have all three substitutions available.

53 min Yet another ridiculous challenge from an Argentina player as Perez dives into Kante. He's lucky to avoid a yellow but it is a free kick in a threatening area for France.

52 min I will be very surprised if Argentina end this game with 11 men. They are struggling to find a balance between showing desire and keeping their discipline.

50 min BOOKING! This is pure stupidity. Banega lunges into a tackle with Mbappe and deservedly picks up a booking. That's Mascherano and Banega out of any quarter-final.

48 min Just like that, Argentina take the lead! There is some fortunate to it. The free kick is half-cleared to Messi and after turning on the edge of the box, Messi scuffs a shot towards goal. However, it takes a deflection off Mercado and goes into the bottom corner.

48 min GOAL! France 1-2 Argentina (Gabriel Mercado)

47 min Di Maria now looks like a man full of confidence. Amazing what a goal can do, isn't it? The winger weaves between several players before being hauled down by Pavard.

46 min KICKOFF! Argentina get us back underway.

The half-time whistle goes in Kazan and we are on level terms after a thoroughly-engaging half of football. The shot count may be low but from an entertainment perspective, that was captivating.

45+2 min FULL TIME: France 1-1 Argentina

45 min There will be two minutes of added-on time.

43 min BOOKING! Mascherano goes flying into a tackle on Kante and is deservedly booked. He is out of any quarter-final.

41 min WOW! We have just witnessed the goal of the tournament so far, surely. There appears no danger when Di Maria picks up the ball around 30 yards out but the playmaker takes a touch and sends a rocket of a shot into the top corner. Stunning.

41 min GOAL! France 1-1 Argentina (Angel Di Maria)

41 min Argentina win a corner kick on the right but the inswinging delivery is superbly flicked away by Pavard. He's having his best game of the tournament.

39 min Argentina are threatening more than they have been but they are still struggling to get any kind of a shot away. Messi has barely been involved in a threatening position.

37 min Griezmann gets back to make a superbly-timed tackle on Messi inside the penalty area. It's not often that you write that. Otamendi breaks forward and then dives again after he is challenged.

35 min Otamendi does four rolls along the floor after a coming together with Giroud. It's disgraceful and the referee just looks embarrassed. Giroud is also down and receiving treatment.

33 min It's France's turn to spend some time on the ball. I think Argentina are content to take a bit of a breather. Matuidi latches onto a ball down the left but eventually fouls Otamendi.

31 min Playing on the break suits France down to a tee and when Mbappe receives the ball on the right-hand side of the penalty area, you expect a goal. However, Tagliafico stays big and makes an excellent tackle.

29 min Mercado thinks that Argentina should be given a penalty after a cross hits Umtiti on the hand, but the referee says no. It's probably not enough for a spot kick but I am surprised that VAR was not used.

27 min Nearly a second for France. Griezmann does well down the right and gets to the byline but his low cross is claimed by Armani.

25 min While France look a threat going forward, we haven't seen anything of Giroud. It's been all about the pace and trickery of Mbappe and Griezmann.

23 min Argentina win a corner - which comes to nothing - but this game feels there for the taking for France. Argentina look terrible at the back and it is not the first time that we have said that during this tournament.

21 min SHOT! Pogba is arguably too close and goes for sheer power. The ball ends up several yards over the crossbar.

19 min BOOKING! Tagliafico picks up a yellow for tripping Mbappe right on the edge of the area. It looked a penalty at first glance but a free kick is the correct decision. It comes from an exquisite long ball from Pogba which released Mbappe behind the defence.

17 min Argentina have spent the last couple of minutes on the ball but they have not done a whole lot doing it. France are prepared to sit deep and wait for the mistake.

15 min Argentina find themselves in a positive where they probably want to push France back into their own half but the backline cannot afford to step up too much. They have now been warned.

13 min Griezmann steps up and waits for Armani to move before slotting the ball down the centre. Argentina have work to do before their lack of pace at the back has already been exposed.

13 min GOAL! France 1-0 Argentina (Antoine Griezmann)

11 min PENALTY TO FRANCE! If you ever wondered why Mbappe is worth so much money, you have just found out. The youngster surges forward from the halfway line, running past two players and then getting hauled down by Rojo, who is promptly booked.

9 min WOODWORK! What an effort this is from Griezmann. He looks too close to get this up and down with power, but he does just that and strikes the angle between post and bar. Armani barely moved.

7 min We are still waiting for the first shot on goal but it's been a high-octane start. France could be getting an effort away here, however, as Mascherano fouls Mbappe on the edge of the area.

5 min Argentina have certainty started the better of the two teams. A fine ball through the France defence finds Di Maria but the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder's delivery into the box is poor and the opening is lost.

3 min The first tackle on Messi leads to a free kick being given but Matuidi made very little contact with the Barcelona maestro, who rolled around when he didn't need to.

2 min As you would expect, the tackles are already flying in from either side and it has resulted in both teams having already conceded possession to the other. A lively start.


1 min KICKOFF! France get us underway in Kazan!

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