By Steven Agen
France booked the final spot in the Euro 2016 Semifinals on Sunday, ending Iceland’s Cinderella run into the last eight of the tournament with a decisive 5-2 victory. The hosts rode four first half goals to a comfortable win and may now look ahead to a date with Germany on Thursday. Iceland pulled two goals back in the second half, but France had put the game to rest by then.
Olivier Giroud got France off the mark 12 minutes in, collecting a ball from Blaise Matuidi and then hammering home past Hannes Halldorsson. Iceland had hardly created an opportunity before les Bleus found the opener. It was a fitting reflection of the first ten minutes. In truth, it was immediately clear that it was not to be Iceland’s night.
Paul Pogba headed past Halldorsson for 2-0 seven minutes later, thumping an Antoine Griezmann corner past the tournament’s leader in saves. The hosts continued to control the match from there, and Dimitri Payet further increased their advantage on 42 minutes. He combined with Griezmann at the top of the area and struck a low right footed effort towards the far post and into the net.
French fans have a semi to look forward to. Photo credit: Asif Burhan
Griezmann completed their masterclass half with a delightful chip over Halldorsson moments later, and the match was decidedly out of reach for Iceland at 4-0.
Kolbeinn Sigthorsson cut into the deficit eleven minutes into the second half, poking in a Gylfi Sigurdsson low cross.
For a brief moment, one had to wonder if there was some magic left in Iceland’s remarkable run.
Three minutes later, Olivier Giroud’s second goal of the match put that notion to rest and restored France’s four goal cushion. Payet knocked a free kick into the box and the big forward beat Halldorsson to the ball, which arrowed into an empty net.
The momentum from Iceland’s goal was gone, and with it any chance at a comeback.
The Icelandic fans kept singing and the team kept working, but the darlings of the tournament had finally run into a real contender. There was plenty of time to process their impending exit, and to begin to consider their historic run in their first ever major competition. 37 year old Eidur Gudjohnsen subbed on for Iceland, a touching and fitting tribute to the federation’s all-time leading goal scorer and most recognizable name. The last half hour became a celebration of Iceland’s achievement, rather than misery over their elimination.
There was even time for one more Iceland goal, as Birkir Bjarnason headed in on 83’, shortly after Gudjohnsen’s entrance. The FC Basel defender grabbed his second goal of the tournament by nodding a cross from Ari Skulason past Hugo Lloris for 5-2. It proved to be the final sting in the game, and in Iceland’s first ever Euro campaign.
France finally fired on all cylinders on Sunday, unleashing the vast potential of their talented attacking unit. Despite conceding from open play twice after having not done so throughout the rest of the tournament, debutant Samuel Umtiti and his fellow defenders were comfortable for the majority of the game as well. They will fancy their chances against Germany, who struggled with Italy in their Quarterfinal.
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