Controversy and class help France beat Croatia in remarkable 2018 World Cup final
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Updated 17/07/2018 at 13:42 GMT
World Cup final, Luzhniki Stadium - France 4 (Mandzukic og 18, Griezmann 38 pen, Pogba 59, Mbappe 65) Croatia 2 (Perisic 28, Mandzukic 69)
Hugo Lloris of France lifts the World Cup trophy to celebrate with his teammates after the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, 2018 in Moscow, Russia.
Image credit: Getty Images
France beat Croatia 4-2 in a dramatic World Cup final in Moscow, with Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe on the scoresheet - and a favourable VAR decision helping them to their second title.
France opened the scoring in the 18th minute with an Antoine Griezmann strike that deflected off the head of Mario Mandzukic, but Ivan Perisic levelled matters ten minutes later.
Controversy struck ten minutes before half-time when with the use of VAR Perisic was adjudged to have handled the ball, and Griezmann converted the subsequent penalty.
Pogba extended France's lead just before the hour mark, and then Mbappe became the first teenager since Pele to score in a World Cup final to add to their advantage.
An error from Hugo Lloris gave Mandzukic the simplest of chances to nick into the net, but France held on for the last 20 minutes to claim another World Cup trophy, 20 years after winning their first in Paris.
TALKING POINT
VAR. Let's finish the tournament with another debate about VAR, shall we? There were lots of odd things about this incident, not least the fact that the referee watched it back, made his way back on to the field of play - and then went to watch it again.
Critics of VAR will say the lengthy delay is indicative in itself that there was not a clear and obvious error to be corrected. At least it was not the decisive goal in the end.
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France players celebrate following their sides victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia
Image credit: Getty Images
MAN OF THE MATCH
Paul Pogba (France). Marvellous playmaking, sensible thinking, and crowned with a goal he thoroughly deserved.
PLAYER RATINGS
- FRANCE: Lloris 7, Pavard 8, Varane 8, Umtiti 8, Hernandez 8, Pogba 8, Kante 7, Matuidi 7, Griezmann 8, Giroud 7, Mbappe 7. Subs - Fekir 7, Tolisso 7, Nzonzi 7.
- CROATIA: Subasic 7, Vrsaljko 6, Strinic 7, Lovren 6, Vida 6, Rakitic 7, Modric 7, Brozovic 6, Perisic 7, Mandzukic 7, Rebic 6. Subs - Pjaca 7, Kramaric 7.
KEY MOMENTS
- 18' GOAL! Griezmann gets the ball swung in, and it takes a brush off the head of someone in there - maybe Mandzukic?
- 28' GOAL! Modric takes the free kick, getting it in towards the back stick, and after four headers bouncing across the face of goal, Perisic just smashes it home from the edge of the box, assisted by a tiny deflection.
- 34' VAR! It's an accidental touch by Perisic, it looks like - but the referee has been called over to the area of Official Review. The referee watched it, started to walk back on the field - and went back and watched it again.
- 36' PENALTY TO FRANCE!
- 38' GOAL! What a calm penalty from Griezmann, sanguinely stroking that low to the keeper's right.
- 59' GOAL! Mbappe goes on a mazy run into the box, Griezmann is there to help him out, Pogba has a shot which is deflected right back at his feet, and his second attempt leaves the net rippling, a fiery left-footed effort.
- 65' GOAL! Lovely mazy run from Hernandez, and he passes the ball to Mbappe, who's been kept so quiet this afternoon. The teenager needs little encouragement to shoot from just outside the D - and he gets the ball into the bottom corner, and again the goalkeeper is left to watch the ball fly past his right hand.
- 69' GOAL! I was literally about to type about France's quiet control at the moment, and then Hugo Lloris fails to deal with a back pass, trying to nick it round Mandzukic and instead only finding the Croatian's right foot. It trickles into the net and that is not good for France.
KEY STATISTICS
- Antoine Griezmann's 38th-minute penalty was France's first shot of any kind in this match against Croatia.
- The only team to win a World Cup final having been trailing at half-time was Uruguay against Argentina, in the first ever showpiece in 1930.
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