France vs Croatia – Final

FRANCE vs CROATIA

Did you miss out on all the action yesterday? Here are some history before the game from yesterday.

A bit of history. They’ve faced 5 times previously. France won 3 of those game (1998, 1999 and 2000) the others were draws.
Two of those 5 games were at major tournaments where France won 2-1 in the semi final of the World Cup in 1998. Their current coach, Didier Deschamps, played the full match in 1998 and their meeting in 2004 ended in a draw 2-2 during the Euro.
The last three WC finals have all gone to extra time. Only two showpiece games have ever decided on penalties. (1994, 2006)
They have reached the final three times now and won in 1998 while losing the other in penalties in 2006. Their appearances in the finals since 1998 is also more than any other team over 20 years, ahead of Brazil and Germany.
This is Croatia’s first time in the final, making them the 13th different nation and the 10th European country to do so.

Match highlights

The game kicked off at 5pm yesterday at the Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.
12′ in and Croatia’s Ante Rebic commits his 21st foul in this years WC, which is at least 6 more times than any other player. Unbelievable.
And France scores their first goal at 18′ but how unfortunate that they don’t even get a chance to score it themselves. Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic accidentally puts the ball straight into the top corner when he tried to header the ball away from Subasic. Thus making him the first player to score an own goal in the World Cup final.
French midfielder N’Golo Kanté gets a yellow card at 27′.
Croatia finally gets back in the games half way through the first half. Ivan Perisic ties up the score to give Croatia another fighting chance and some hope. He has been involved in 11 major tournament goals for Croatia, more than any other player. (7 goals, 4 assists)
Ten min after and France takes the lead again when Antoine Griezmann, striker, easily puts the ball in Croatia’s net on the 38′ mark with a penalty goal.
This is now the first game in the WC final to see 3 goals before half time since 1974.
At 41′ Hernandes slides hard into Rebic and France gets another yellow card.
Seconds half starts at 45′ and ten min after France makes their first substitution when Steven Nzonzi replaces N’Golo Kanté. It was maybe Deschamps’ decision to take him off since hes been strangely off pace in the contest.
Not long after the French team makes it even harder for Croatia to keep up after scoring another brilliant goal. Paul Pogba took it home for France. At 59′ the odds are favoring France.
France keeps the ball rolling at 65′ and Kylian Mbappe scores another goal for France and maybe making it totally impossible to win.
He is the only second teenager to score in a WC final after Pelé.
Croatia doesnt give up and at 69′ Mario Mandzukic tries to keep Croatia’s head above water with another goal. Now they are at half of Frances score. This also makes him the second player to score a goal for his team and his own goal in the same game. Ernie Brandts was the first in 1978, Netherlands vs Italy.
Croatia makes their first player chance at 71′ when Ante Rebic is replaced by Andrej Kramaric.
France makes two moves at 73′ and 81′ with Corentin Tolisso replacing Blaise Matuidi and Nabil Fekir coming on for Olivier Giroud.
Croati makes their last WC move and Marko Pjaca replaces Ivan Strinic at 81′.
Sime Vrsaljko scorers another yellow card on Croatia’s side in injury time.
Six min after 90′ and the game ends with 2018’s new WC Champions France.