- Andrew Dempsey
- Sun, Jul 15 2018
France secured their second ever World Cup title with an efficient showing to dispose of the Croatian challenge at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Goals from Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Perisic for Croatia were not enough to cancel out strike’s from Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe, coupled with an own goal from Mario Mandzukic.
In a drama filled final France inked their name down in the history books as Les Blues won the most sought-after prize in international football.
Starting off the game strong, Croatia were hustling and harrying the French at every possible opportunity as the talismanic figureheads of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante looked like they were feeling the pressure of such a huge game.
For all their dominance though, it was somewhat inevitable that France took the lead in very fortuitous fashion in the 19thminute via a Mario Mandzukic own-goal.
After going down under no apparent contact outside the penalty area, Griezmann delivered an inch-perfect ball into the Croatian penalty area where Mandzukic’s headed touch took the ball into the back of his own net.
However, Croatia soon rallied and they found themselves level just before the half hour mark thanks to a sumptuous strike from Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic.
FIFA Player of the Tournament Luka Modric looped in a searching set piece which found Sime Vraslijko. He headed the ball back into the mix where Perisic was on hand to smack home in the grand manner.
With their tails up, Croatia looked inspired and played most of the football throughout the minutes following their equaliser.
Despite this, and in tandem with their misfortune, Croatia saw an extremely harsh VAR call go against them in the 38thminute.
Following a consultation with the VAR officials, referee Nestor Pistana awarded the French a spot kick after he adjudged Perisic to have handled the ball in the box.
In spite of all the complaints, up stepped Griezmann, who after a brief delay, sent Subasic the wrong way to put Didier Deschamps side back into the lead just before the half time whistle.
Refusing to feel sorry for themselves, Croatia upped the ante in opening stages of the second half, but they lacked that real cutting edge up top. They saw many half-chances go to waste in a storming beginning to the half for Zlatko Dalic’s side.
With the Adriatic side pushing forward as they sought a leveller, France punished their World Cup Final opponents in the 59thminute. Paul Pogba slotted a fantastic strike past Subasic in the Croatian goal in a sweeping counter attack.
Pogba initially released Mbappe who burst down the right-hand side of the pitch to leave Strinic for dead. The PSG forward then delivered a ball into the Croatian box where Pogba took full advantage of some quality hold up play from Griezmann at the edge of the penalty area.
Looking in desperate trouble, Croatia almost saw a fourth go against them moments later as Marcelo Brozovic had to provide a last-ditch clearance to prevent Mbappe from availing of an easy tap-in during the 64thminute.
Inevitably, France grabbed a deserved fourth goal just seconds later as Kylian Mbappe smashed a thirty-yard low drive into the back of Subasic’ net in the 65thminute.
After a surging past Mandzukic down the left-hand side, Lucas Hernandez cut inside the pitch to find Mbappe. He in turn sent the ball into the back of the net to all but secure the World Cup trophy for Didier Deschamps’ side.
As lady luck was clearly going against the Croatians, they received a bolt from the sky as Mandzukic profited from a comical Hugo Lloris mistake.
As the ball was being stroked around the French defence, Lloris got caught on the ball and Mandzukic benefited from a schoolboy error from the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper in the 69thminute when he clearance hit the Croat striker taking the ball over the line.
Following that, Croatia pressed for another which may have set up a grandstand finish, but it was all in vain as France held firm to secure their second World Cup crown, which was their first title since the 1998 win on home soil.
France: Hugo Lloris; Benjamin Pavard, Samuel Umtiti, Raphael Varane, Lucas Hernandez; Ngolo Kante (Steven N’Zonzi, 55), Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi (Corentin Tolisso, 73); Kylian Mbappe, Blaise Matuidi, Antoine Griezmann; Olivier Giroud (Nabil Fekir, 81).
Subs not used: Presnel Kimpembe, Thomas Lemar, Ousmane Dembele, Steve Mandanda, Adil Rami, Djibril Sidibe, Florian Thauvin, Benjamin Mendy, Alphonse Areola.
Booked: N’Golo Kante (27), Lucas Hernandez (41).
Croatia: Danijel Subasic; Sime Vraslijko, Domagoi Vida, Dejan Lovren, Ivan Strinic (Marko Pjaca, 82); Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic; Ante Rebic (Andrej Kramaric, 71), Ivan Perisic, Mario Mandzukic.
Subs not used: Dominik Livakovic, Vedran Corluka, Mateo Kovacic, Lovre Kalinic, Tin Jedvaj, Filip Bradaric, Duja Caleta-Car, Milan Badelj, Josip Pivaric.
Booked: Sime Vraslijko (90+2).
Referee:Nestor Pistana (Argentina).
Attendance:78,011.
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Antoine Griezmann (France).
