France vs Uruguay: 5 Talking Points as Les Bleus Seal Semi-Final Spot, World Cup 2018
France beat Uruguay 2-0 in the first World Cup quarter-final at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Friday to advance to the semi-finals. Raphael Varane opened the scoring with a header from a set-piece in the 40th minute before Antoine Griezmann doubled the lead at the hour mark.
This is the first time Les Bleus have reached the semi-finals since 2006. Here are the major talking points from the game.
#1 No Edinson Cavani, no party, as Cristhian Stuani fails to deliver
Uruguay's worst fears were confirmed when Edinson Cavani failed to make the teamsheet to start against France. Having suffered a muscular injury in the Round of 16 encounter against Portugal where he had hobbled off, the striker did not recover in time to start this game.
In his stead, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez decided to start Cristhian Stuani up front alongside Luis Suarez. The move did not work.
Stuani wasn't able to exert the same influence as Cavani normally does. It isn't entirely his fault - he has barely ever started with Cavani and Suarez always getting the nod, be it competitive fixtures or friendlies.
The 31-year-old striker did win a couple of aerial duels in the final third but he struggled against France's central defenders in and around the box. He also failed to strike up a partnership with Suarez with passes going abegging.
Stuani was eventually withdrawn at the hour mark with Maxi Gomez coming on to replace him.