INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Thibaut Courtois rushed from his goal just in time to save Vertonghen again from Mbappe's pace on 12 minutes, but it was Belgium who started
the better in possession.One of the Red Devils' many French connections was the biggest danger as Eden Hazard, who began his career with
Lille in Ligue 1, pulled the first attempt of goal just beyond the far post.The Chelsea forward's next effort was arrowing into the top
corner until it flicked off Raphael Varane's head and deflected just over.Lloris and Courtois played a huge part their sides' quarter-final
wins and it was only thanks to two of the best 'keepers in the world the game remained goalless at half-time.Goalkeepers impressFirst,
Lloris flew to his right to turn Toby Alderweireld's shot on the turn behind.At the other end, Mbappe demonstrated the subtler side to his
game to play in Benjamin Pavard, but Courtois used his massive 6ft 5ins (199 centimetre) frame to deny the Stuttgart full-back his second
goal of the tournament.Didier Deschamps' men ended the opening period on top, but again Olivier Giroud looked short of confidence as the
focal point of the French attack
Giroud has not scored in eight games and is yet to even have a shot on target in Russia.His best chance arrived via more good work from
Mbappe with a cushioned cross, but the Chelsea striker could only slice horribly wide on his favoured left foot.Giroud did at least have a
part to play in the decisive opener as, after his shot was deflected wide, Griezmann's corner was flicked in at the near post by Umtiti.Once
in front, France had even more space to exploit Mbappe's pace, but it was a majestic piece of skill that nearly created a second with a
backheel that again freed Giroud only for Mousa Dembele to block.Roberto Martinez introduced an extra attacker in Dries Mertens in an
attempt to turn the tide and he nearly had an immediate impact as his cross was headed inches wide by Marouane Fellaini.That was as close as
Belgium came to taking the game to extra-time, though, as Lloris parried a long-range piledriver from Axel Witsel.But for Courtois, France's
margin of victory would have been even greater as he made saves from Griezmann and Corentin Tolisso in stoppage time.For the generation of
Hazard, De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, beating Brazil in the quarter-finals was meant to be the breakthrough on route to winning a major
tournament.Instead, it proved to be another false dawn as France march on to Moscow.
