Les Blues of France just tore Iceland to pieces 5-2 in a seven-goal thriller at Stade de France and shredded the underdogs’ ambition of qualifying for a historic European Championships semifinal.
Arsenal forward, Oliver Giroud, who got a brace, put France ahead in the 13th with a superb finish. PSG’s Blaise Matuidi put a clever long ball over a high line from the Icelandic defence and Giroud calmly drove a left footed shot through the legs of Iceland keeper, Hannes Thór Halldórsson.
Pogba made it two in the 20th minute as he scored his first EURO goal as he nodded home a left footed corner whipped in by Antonie Griezmann.
Dimitri Payet made it 3-0 in the 43th minute when Griezmann slid him a pass and he fired a left-footed shot into the far left corner. Two minutes later Griezmann took his Euro tally to four as he made it 4-0 for France. He is now the leading scorer in the tournament. As Giroud excellently sent him through, it was clear that the danger man was not going to miss. He beautifully flicked the ball over the keeper.
In 45 minutes Iceland took him four French goals, more than the total goals they have conceded in the all through the tournament.
After the break, Iceland pulled one back in the 56th minute. It was a perfect ball in from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s first contact pushed the ball into the corner of the net.
Giroud restored the four goal advantage three minutes later , heading in a tailored Payet free-kick.
In the 84th minute, Iceland again scored a symbolic goal via a great header by Birkir Bjarnason. However, the damage has already been done and it did nothing stop France from progressing.
They now play world champions, Germany on Thursday in the semifinal.
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