FIFA World Cup 2018: France vs Argentina - As it happened

The 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe ran heavily and dominated throughout the second-half, as he beat goalkeeper Armani twice to become the second youngest player to score a brace in a World Cup match after Brazil’s Pele (1958 final vs Sweden).

Courtesy: Twitter/@Argentina

Moscow:  A wonderful game of football with seven glorious goals. France defeat Argentina 4-3 and enter the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup. The 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe ran heavily and dominated throughout the second-half and beat goalkeeper Armani twice to become the second youngest player to score twice in a World Cup match after Brazil’s Pele (1958 final vs Sweden).

Argentina failed to mark Mbappe on multiple occasions, allowing him with the brace. 

Follow the match updates here:

France beat Argentina 4-3 

(Griezmann 13' (P), Pavard 57', Mbappe 64'- 68')  (Di Maria 41', G. Mercado 48', S. Aguero 90+3')

FULL-TIME!!

France 4-3 Argentina!

90+3 minute: GOAL!! Aguero heads the ball into the goal off a cross from Messi. 

4 minutes of Stoppage time!

88 minute: Substitution for France. Mbappe is replaced by Thauvin. 

5 minutes to go!

85 minute: MISS!!  Messi finds space in the France box but hits the ball directly into the hands of the goalkeeper. 

83 minute: Substitution for France. N. Fekir is in for A. Griezmann. 

79 minute:  Messi cuts a frustrated figure as he finds himself isolated in the final third. Argentina are running out of time here. 

19-year-old Kylian Mbappe becomes the youngest player to score two goals in a World Cup match since 1958. Brazil's Pele at 17, had scored twice in the 1958 World Cup final against Sweden. 

75 minute: Substitution for Argentina, Meza in for Pavon. Substitution for France, Tolisso replaces Matuidi.

72 minute: Yellow card! France's Matuidi gets booked for a challenge. 

France 4-2 Argentina!

68 minute: GOAL!!!  Brilliant play by France's Giroud to find Mbappe, who goes unmarked once again and scores into the far post. 

66 minute:  Substitution for Argentina. Perez is replaced by Aguero.

France 3-2 Argentina!

64 minute: GOAL!!!  Mbappe cuts in from the left and hits past goalkeeper Armani to score his second goal of the tournament. France take the lead. 

France 2-2 Argentina!

57 minute: GOAL!!! Pavard goes unmarked in the Argentina penalty box and fires a bullet into the left corner. What a goal. 

56 minute: MISS! Argentina's Fazio makes a terrible back pass past goalkeeper Armani but Griezmann fails to capitalise on the error. That was close. 

Argentina 2-1 France!

48 minute: Free-kick to Argentina. GOAL!! Banega curls the ball in. Messi picks up the ball inside the box fires it towards the goal, it takes a huge deflection off Mercado and finds its way into the net. 

Substitution at half-time: Argentina's F. Fazio replaces M. Rojo. 

Key stats:

#FRA have won each of their last six #WorldCup knockout matches in which they scored the opener

 Ángel Di María scores his second World Cup goal, after netting in the 118th minute in #ARG 1-0 win against #SUI#FRAARG pic.twitter.com/w1yG6pBSze — FIFA World Cup  (@FIFAWorldCup) June 30, 2018

Second-half is underway!

What a hit, mate #FRAARG 1-1 pic.twitter.com/yNCeLuPM41 — FIFA World Cup  (@FIFAWorldCup) June 30, 2018

France 1-1 Argentina

Half-time!

2 minutes of Stoppage time!

Argentina 1-1 France!

41 minute: GOAL!! Di Maria curls the ball from the distance and scores a stunning goal into top-right corner. Argentina equalise. 

39 minute: France's Pavard creates a chance on the right but fails to find a teammate off his cross from the right. 

38 minute: Argentina's Otamendi create space up-front and finds Pavon on the right, but Pavon gives away possession with a poor cross. 

31 minute: France's defenders cramp Argentina for space and threaten to score another on the counter. France have conceded only one goal in the tournament, which was off a penalty against Australia. 

28 minute: Argentina's Mercardo finds space in the final third but fails to find a teammate in the middle. He appeals for a handball by Umtiti, but the Referee calls for play-on. 

25 minute:  France's Mbappe has been brilliant with his solo counter-attacks, Argentina need to be careful as they are giving away dangerous set-pieces near the penalty box. 

19 minute:  Argentina concede a foul right outside the box. Tagliafico fouls Mbappe. Tagliafico gets a Yellow card. More danger looming for Argentina here.  Pogba clouds the ball away from the target. 

17 minute: Corner for Argentina. Poor delivery from Di Maria, he fails to get past the France defenders. 

France 1-0 Argentina!

13 minute: GOAL!! Griezmann calmly nets the ball in. France take the lead. 

12 minute: PENALTY!! Mbappe sprints in Argentina's box and gets pulled down by Rojo. Griezmann gears up to take it.  

8 minute: Free-kick to France at a dangerous position after Mbappe is fouled by Mascherano. MISS! Griezmann fires the ball into the right bar. That was close. France are threatening to take the lead. 

5 minute: Argentina's Di Maria picks up a pass in the left but clouds the ball wide. 

3 minute:  Free-kick to Argentina. Banega whips the ball into the middle but defenders clear the ball. 

#FRAARG // FORMATIONS

Thoughts on these teams? pic.twitter.com/zrwPqShAj0 — FIFA World Cup  (@FIFAWorldCup) June 30, 2018

Interestingly, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have never scored in the knockout stages of a World Cup. 

Kick-off!

Lineups

France XI: Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Kante, Pogba; Mbappe, Griezmann, Matuidi; Giroud. 

Argentina XI: Armani; Tagliafico, Rojo, Otamendi, Mercardo; Di Maria, Banega, Mascherano, Enzo; Pavon, Messi.

Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba as they look to eliminate Argentina and Lionel Messi in 

Coach Didier Deschamps would hope star players like Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe to come good against Argentina, who heavily relied on Lionel Messi in the final third. 

Argentina have met  France only twice in the World Cup, beating the latter 1-0 in 1930 and 2-1 in 1978. France’s Varane and Matuidi will hope to make pivotal interceptions to hinder Messi’s movements up-front.   

Squads:

France:

Goalkeepers - Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda, Alphonse Areola.

Defenders - Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Adil Rami, Benjamin Pavard, Presnel Kimpembe, Bernard Mendy, Djibril Sidibe, Lucas Hernandez.

Midfielders - Blaise Matuidi, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, Thomas Lemar, Corentin Tolisso, Steven N’Zonzi.

Forwards - Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Nabil Fekir, Ousmane Dembele, Florian Thauvin

Argentina:

Goalkeepers - Nahuel Guzman, Franco Armani, Wilfredo Caballero.

Defenders - Marco Acuna, Cristian Ansaldi, Federico Fazio, Javier Mascherano, Gabriel Mercado, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Rojo, Eduardo Salvio, Nicolas Tagliafico.

Midfielders - Ever Banega, Lucas Biglia, Angel Di Maria, Giovani Lo Celso, Maxi Meza, Enzo Perez, Cristian Pavon.

Forwards - Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala.

(With Agency inputs)