France Ran Over Iceland To Set Up Germany Semi Final

Euro 2016 hosts France thrash Iceland to set up
Germany semifinal

France progressed to the Euro 2016 semifinals
as they brought an end to Iceland's remarkable
tournament with a comprehensive victory at the
Stade de France.
Olivier Giroud, Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet and
Antoine Griezmann were all on target inside the
opening 45 minutes as France set up a meeting
with 2014 World Cup winners Germany in
Marseille on Thursday.
Iceland's Kolbeinn Sigthorsson pulled one back
early in the second half before Giroud added his
second and, while Birkir Bjarnason added a
second for Iceland late on, it was a
straightforward victory for the hosts.
Iceland had gone into the game on the back of
the greatest result in their history as they
eliminated England with a 2-1 win in the
previous round and, for a time, the tournament
debutants had not looked overawed in Paris.
Gylfi Sigurdsson had the first shot on target and
Birkir Bjarnason also sent a shot wide as Les
Bleus' defence -- with centre-back Samuel
Umtiti winning his first cap -- faced an early
examination.
However, their hopes of producing another
shock soon dwindled. France, who had not
previously scored a first-half goal at the
tournament, seized the advantage on 12
minutes: Arsenal striker Giroud fired a shot
through Iceland keeper Hannes Halldorsson's
legs after Blaise Matuidi had sent a pass over
the top from close to the halfway line.
On 20 minutes, it was 2-0 as Juventus
midfielder Pogba scored his first goal at Euro
2016, rising above Jon Dadi Bodvarsson to
power in a header from Griezmann's corner.
Iceland still carried a threat on occasion --
Bodvarsson in particular had gone close soon
after Pogba's goal, stretching to get onto a flick
from a long throw but steering his shot over the
top -- yet France's superior quality showed as
the match wore on, and the contest was over
by the break.
On 43 minutes, Payet scored his third of the
tournament, taking a touch after a Griezmann
lay-off before drilling an effort past Halldorsson
into the bottom corner.
Then, just before the half-time whistle,
Griezmann deepened Iceland's gloom as he
notched his fourth of the summer, and in some
style. Collecting a pass from the defence via a
Giroud dummy, the Atletico Madrid forward
found himself clean through and produced a
perfect chip over Halldorsson to make it 4-0.
Didier Deschamps' side had looked likely to
increase their lead after the restart, but Iceland
reduced the deficit on 56 minutes when Gylfi
Sigurdsson sent in a low cross from the right
and Sigthorsson did well to turn it home at the
near post.
If Iceland had harboured any thoughts that the
goal might prove more than a consolation, they
did not last long. Just before the hour mark,
Giroud scored his second, heading a Payet free
kick into an empty net after Halldorsson found
himself in no man's land.
Iceland retained some fight, with substitute
Sverrir Ingason bringing a good save from Hugo
Lloris on 63 minutes, while they had a penalty
appeal for handball waved away shortly
afterwards. On 84 minutes, their efforts paid off,
with Birkir Bjarnason heading past Lloris from
an Ari Skulason cross to make it 5-2.
Ultimately, though, France were able to ease
through the second half as focus shifted toward
the more substantial challenge of defeating
Germany in midweek.