World Cup 2018: France Eye Top Spot, Denmark Aim For Last 16
France, with their knockout berth already booked, would aim to finish on top of Group C as they face Denmark in their last FIFA World Cup 2018 group clash at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Tuesday.
- Posted by Amit Kumar
- Updated: June 25, 2018 02:01 PM IST
Highlights
- France would aim to finish on top of Group C
- France face Denmark in their last FIFA World Cup 2018 group clash
- France started their World Cup 2018 campaign on a high
France, with their knockout berth already booked, would aim to finish on top of Group C as they face Denmark in their last FIFA World Cup 2018 group clash at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Tuesday. France started their World Cup 2018 campaign on a high as they defeated Australia 2-1 and then beat Peru1-0 to book their place in the last 16. A win against Denmarkon Tuesday will see coach Didier Deschamps' men finish the Group C on top. On other hand, Denmark kicked off their World Cup campaign on a winning note, beating Peru 1-0 and then drew the second match of the tournament against Australia.
With 4 points in 2 games, Denmark will need a win or a draw to enter the knockouts.
Deschamps, bidding to join an elite band to have won the World Cup as a player and coach, has a choice of forwards that is the envy of many of his counterparts at the tournament in Russia.
France boast an estimated 550 million euros ($641 million) of attacking prowess in Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Olivier Giroud and Nabil Fekir.
And, having seen his young but talented side spend most of the second half on the back foot against a tidy but toothless Peru, Deschamps scoffed: "I saw Spain v Iran (Spain laboured to a 1-0 victory on Wednesday) and Spain spent the last 10 minutes defending.
"If you are looking for 5-0, don't come to a World Cup, you won't get this."
Deschamps led France to the final of Euro 2016 on home soil, proving he has what it takes to guide them efficiently through tournament football.
And yet France under his leadership look like they are playing with the handbrake on.
Atletico Madrid's Griezmann again looked a far cry from the striker that terrorises La Liga defences every week.
Kylian Mbappe said that playing at a World Cup was "a dream come true" after the teenager scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over Peru to send France into the last 16.
France, one of the pre-tournament favourites, join Uruguay and hosts Russia in the knockout rounds with one group game to go -- and condemned tearful Peru to an early exit.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Mbappe -- aged 19 years and 183 days -- underlined his rich talent and became France's youngest scorer at a World Cup when he poked home in the first half.
"I have always said that the World Cup is a dream for any player and it was a dream for me too, it was a dream that came true and I hope there will be more days like this," Mbappe said.
(With AFP inputs)