France 5-2 Iceland, Uefa Euro 2016 quarter-final - Five-star Les Bleus march into Germany semi-final
Live coverage of the final last eight clash as hosts France face minnows Iceland.
- Olivier Giroud, Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet and Antoine Griezmann net first half goals.
- Kolbeinn Sigthórsson pulls one back for Iceland before Giroud nods home fifth.
- Birkir Bjarnason adds a second from a back-post header.
- France to face Germany in Marseille in second semi-final.
- Portugal and Wales will contest other semi-final.
- Follow all of Euro 2016 through our dedicate topic page.
Full time: France 5-2 Iceland
As La Marseillaise rings around the Stade de France, the full time whistle goes a France march into the semi-final to face Germany on Thursday. Iceland never gave up but they were simply outclassed by Les Blues. Olivier Giroud was the chief tormentor with two goals, while Dimitri Payet, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann struck the others.
Goal: France 5-2 Iceland (Birkir Bjarnason)
This is Iceland's first ever major tournament appearance and they are not going away without a fight. They are now beating France in this second half and it is fro another cross that France are undone as Bjarnason heads into the corner from a left-hand cross. One notable change for Iceland which has seen 37-year-old Eidur Gudjohnsen enter the fray for the final 10 minutes.
Half time: France 4-0 Iceland
The hosts finally come to the European Championship final and this fourth quarter-final is over almost before it started. Four goals from four different goalscorers; Olivier Giroud, Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet and Antoine Griezmann have done the damage and Iceland's hopes in this tournament have been demolished. Some semi-final in store on Thursday against world champions Germany.
Goal: France 4-0 Iceland (Antoine Griezmann)
France have been superb in this first half and they have a fourth goals their play thoroughly deserves. Giroud flicks on a Matuidi pass and release Griezmann who draws Halldórsson and chips delightfully into the net. Deschamps' side on their way to Thursday's semi-final.
Amazing to think that England's Euro 2016 campaign could get much worse AFTER they have exited the competition, but this France display is suggesting otherwise. Iceland have been totally overwhelmed during this opening half an hour by a team who are looking increasingly like the tournament favourites they were billed.
Nine Iceland players on yellow cards and risking missing the semi-final if their team progresses. Among them is Aron Gunnarsson, who takes down Payet in the French half but he avoids another booking. Lots of criticism of that rule, which sees players miss a game if they get cautioned twice in the space of five games. Hardly prolific ill-discipline is it?
The Iceland fans have got their Viking haka going before kick-off, with even some of the France fans getting involved. Not sure they're got the idea. It should be some night at the Stade de France, and if the hosts start slowly then they that booming noise might even be heard all the way in Reykjavik.
Pep Guardiola was unveiled as the new Manchester City manager at a fan event at the Etihad Campus today, and you wonder what he might think about Eliaquim Mangala - the world's second most expensive centre-back - being left out with Samuel Umtiti making his France debut tonight. The new City boss has plenty to consider from this tournament, particularly after the performances of Joe Hart and Raheem Sterling.
Victory in the last 16 against England saw Iceland force the exit of an international manager and was the catalyst for a nation-wide inquest into the foundations of their football philosophy. You fancy that if Iceland oust another superpower tonight, a similar fate will befall France and Didier Deschamps.
Uefa's official team sheet has Antoine Griezmann in a number 10 position behind frontman Olivier Giroud, with Moussa Sissoko playing from the right. The France team has look unbalanced at times during this tournament, so will this latest change make a difference? Paulo Pogba operating from a deeper position could be important.
Interesting team news coming out of the French camp as Samuel Umtiti ends a week which began with joining Barcelona, by taking his place in the Les Blues' starting eleven. He comes in for his senior debut in place of Adil Rami. The Iceland team is to follow.
One of the defining sights and sounds of tonights game, regardless of the result, will be the traveling Icelandic support whose viking chant will ensure that though they will be in the minority at the Stade de France they will not be overshadowed with regard to noise. Look and listen out for that during kick-off.
If Iceland didn't already have an uphill task tonight, then history is also against them. In 11 previous meetings the nordic nation have never overcome Les Blues, losing eight times including in the pair's last meeting in 2012.
The pair have met in a major tournament before, twice at the 1958 World Cup, with France recording 8-0 and 5-1 wins. Even with the chasm between the two nations, a scoreline tonight approaching either of those previous results would be somewhat of a shock.
Before we look ahead to tonight's final quarter-final, it might want to refresh yourself with the events of Saturday evening when Germany and Italy went the distance in pursuit of a semi-final place. The world champions eventually prevailed to record their first competitive win over the Azzuri, but go here if you missed any of the action which included a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
Three down, one to go in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals and tonight is the turn of hosts France and the perennial underdogs Iceland to fight it out to complete the semi-final line-up. Didier Deschamps' side have so far coped well with the pressure as favourites and with Spain and Italy having tumbled out of the tournament their status as the team to beat remains. Iceland meanwhile ousted England in the last 16 and will not rollover in Paris despite being heavily unfancied. Team news and all the build up ahead of the 8pm kick-off on the way.
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