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France 4-3 Argentina: Kylian Mbappe's second-half brace sends Didier Deschamps's men into World Cup quarter-finals and leaves Lionel Messi's international career in tatters following thriller in Kazan
- Kylian Mbappe scored a second-half brace to send France through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup
- Antoine Griezmann fired France into the lead after 13 minutes with a penalty after Kylian Mbappe was fouled
- Just before half-time, Argentina drew level thanks to a sensational long-range strike from Angel Di Maria
- Three minutes into the second half, Gabriel Mercado's deflection put the South Americans into the lead
- Their lead did not last long though as Benjamin Pavard produced an amazing bending effort from distance
- Mbappe then produced a moment of magic in the box before finishing off a well-worked attacking move
- Sergio Aguero pulled a goal back in second-half stoppage time but it proved to be just a consolation effort
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The talk had been about a No 10 who was supposedly predestined to drive his nation on and on, confounding every setback along the road. 'El General de Gol' was how Buenos Aires paper 'Ole' encapsulated Argentinian matchday belief in Lionel Messi.
But it was the individual wearing a blue 10 who won a searing, breathless game with a performance which will come to define this tournament.
Kylian Mbappe capitalised on a creaking, aged, inadequate Argentinian defence to score twice in four devastating second half minutes. But his signature moment was the devastating run through the heart of the Argentinian side - echoes of a 19-year-old Michael Owen in St Etienne exactly 20 years to the day – which sent his nation on their way.
Kylian Mbappe scored a sensational second-half brace to send France through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup
Mbappe's first goal was a moment of magic as he managed to turn inside the box and fire a low shot into the back of the net
The Monaco youngster then finished off a beautifully constructed attack to seal France's progression to the last eight
The defeat is another bitter blow for Lionel Messi on the international stage and leaves his Argentina career in tatters
Antoine Griezmann celebrates with team-mate Olivier Giroud after scoring the opening goal of the game in Kazan
The Atletico Madrid forward showed nerves of steel to slot home from the penalty spot in the early stages of the game
Angel Di Maria levelled things up just moments before half-time with a sensational long range effort into the top corner
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris had no chance as he could only watch the ball whistle past him and into the back of the net
Di Maria celebrated wildly and was instantly mobbed by this team-mates after bringing them level late in the opening period
Just minutes into the second-half, Gabriel Mercado then put Argentina into a 2-1 lead thanks to a wicked deflection
Messi's shot from the edge of the box rebounded off the defender's leg and left Hugo Lloris wrong-footed and unable to save
Argentina's lead did not last long though as France right back Benjamin Pavard produced a moment of magic to restore parity
The defender sliced across a loose bouncing ball on the edge of the box and it flew into the top corner to make it 2-2
Mbappe then proved to be the difference between the two teams as his quickfire double ended Argentina's World Cup hopes
Some perspective is required in the aftermath. The Argentina side who trooped through out of the stadium in single file on Saturday night — like participants in a death march — were as poor as their dismal group stage performances had implied. Javier Mascherano may very well to be followed into the international retirement, which he announced on Saturday night, by Messi and Angel di Maria. There is a long road ahead.
Yet France look as if they are on the opposite trajectory. They were balanced, ice cold when improbably finding themselves 2-1 behind early in the second half and are blessed with a cluster of world class players. It was the steadfast N'Golo Kante who did most to deal with Messi, closing off the corridors of space he sought. Argentina's 10 refused to go quietly, though he could not bend the game to his will.
Argentina's coach Jorge Sampaoli knew where the perils lay. Asked whether the average age differential — Argentina 30, France 25 — might cause him concern, he had replied that his own players must not allow their opponents the chance to run into their territory and display the pace at their disposal. All the good intentions were reduced to dust in the five minutes it took 19-year-old Mbappe to start running at the defence like an express train.
Nicolas Otamendi knew all about that devastating acceleration. He witnessed it when the forward, in Monaco colours, tore Manchester City apart in the Champions League, 18 months ago. But he and Marcos Rojo were simply not remotely equipped to cope when Ever Banega offered up possession to the PSG player in the game's 12th minute.
France were in control in the early stages of the match and Griezmann smashed the crossbar with a stunning free-kick
Mbappe was brought down inside the box following a rash piece of defending from Manchester United's Marcos Rojo
The Argentinian defender had no answer to the Frenchman's pace and power and only ended up fouling him inside the box
The entire Kazan Arena watches on as Griezmann calmly fires the penalty past a helpless Franco Armani in goal on Saturday
Mbappe eased past the ageing Mascherano and Rojo was so powerless to halt him that even an attempt to haul him down initially came to nothing. An assault which began outside of the area was still going on when the player entered it.
There have been few more clear cut penalties than the one which Antoine Griezmann slotted left footed to Franco Armani's left.
It was the balance in the French side which made them look so superior. Kante was the heartbeat of a secure midfield and Pogba the axis between defence and attacking movement – not always impeccable in possession but a major contributor.
It was he who saw the danger Mbappe might wreak and had the passing range to exploit it.
When he sought the forward with a probing long ball soon after the goal, Nicolas Tagliafico brought Mbappe to ground and, like Rojo, was booked. Pogba's next missile went in search of Griezmann, who whipped around Rojo but could not find a telling cross. Messi was on the game's margins and when Cristian Pavon levelled crosses, there was no striker in the six-yard box to receive them.
All of which made Angel Di Maria's strike five minutes before half time so priceless, when it arrived.
Lloris manages to charge out of his goal and claim the ball despite a challenge from Argentina midfielder Enzo Perez
Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante tries to control the ball and drive away from Messi with possession at the Kazan Arena
France were largely in control of the contest until Di Maria launched his brilliant shot from outside the penalty area
Lloris attempts to keep it out but his efforts proved to be in vain as the ball fizzed into the back of the net, sparking wild scenes
His own tournament had been indifferent, bringing just one shot on goal. But the French allowed him a few yards space, 30 yards out, and he arced a left foot shot past Samuel Umtiti and on beyond the dive of Hugo Lloris, leaping to his left. No goal had come from longer range at this tournament.
The nature of Argentina's second goal gave life to the sense that they must have some greater force behind them. Di Maria nutmegged Benjamin Pavard and drew a free-kick, which had been headed clear by Pogba when Messi's speculative shot was turned in by Pavon.
But the truth kept telling. Argentina's lead has lasted for nine minutes, before Pavard redeeemed himself, slicing across the ball which reached him from Matuidi to despatch a half volley which flew beyond Armani.
France were left shell shocked at the start of the second-half and found themselves behind thanks to a slice of bad luck
Mercado carries Messi as some of their Argentina team-mates celebrated their brief lead with delight in the corner
Argentina legend Diego Maradona was elated when his national team moved into the lead at the start of the second period
Then, Mbappe's four-minute contribution which turned the game back into this nation's grasp and marked him as a player to be talked about for years.
Lurking in the area, he seized a loose ball after Matiuidi's shot had been blocked, took it to Armani's left and drove in. His second was the culmination of a four-pass move which cut apart a desperately failing South American defence. Matuidi and Olivier Giroud manouvered the ball into his ambit on the right hand side of the area. The forward did the rest.
Messi made a vain late attempt to wrest the game back towards his side, running at the French defence and twice threatening to score before whipping a cross which Sergio Aguero, a substitute, headed home. Still, there were supplications to 'vamos Argentina' from supporters who had turned this stadium into a corner of Buenos Aires. But this match belonged to a teenager, not a 31-year-old. Mbappe looks like a number 10 for all the ages.
Pavard's equaliser was the latest chapter in his incredible rise from the second tier in Germany to the World Cup stage
Mbappe put France back ahead moments later with some trickery in the box and a low shot that Armani failed to save
He then completed the win with an accurate finish into the far corner following a sweeping move from back to front
France now await the winner of the round of 16 tie between Uruguay and Portugal, who meet later on Saturday evening
Elimination is another bitter blow for Argentina, who have endured a disappointing tournament in general in Russia
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