Griezmann, who went all the way to the Champions League final with Atletico Madrid, proved his legs were still fresh by equalising with a header from a Bacary Sagna cross just before the hour and then fired France in front three minutes later.
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But, like it’s done all tournament, France turned up the pressure in the second period, and a brace from Antoine Griezmann in the span of three minutes led to a 2-1 France win.
FC’s Craig Burley breaks down Antoine Griezmann’s fluid movement to grab France’s crucial equaliser against the Republic of Ireland.
“It was hard for us too, but mission accomplished”, he said.
“We really speeded things up and that’s when we are most risky”. Our coach said things.
Didier Deschamps can come across as quiet and unassuming, but after his team’s dismal first-half display against Ireland, the France coach had to shake up his players to turn the tricky tie into a 2-1 victory.
It might mean that everything has changed for the hosts and especially their star forward. People said they were going to make the final.
Northern Ireland may be out, but they can hold their heads up high. Nevertheless, the Ireland manager was full of praise for his side.
The 25 year old becomes equal with Gareth Bale and Alvaro Morata as the top goalscorers at Euro 2016 so far with three goals. There was so much more intensity about Ireland.
Belgium’s Michy Batshuayi celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A long, arduous season appeared to have taken its toll on a player who had been tipped to shine after 32 goals at club level, and the early indications were not encouraging at the Stade de Lyon on Sunday, where his weak challenge allowed Stephen Ward to cross for the Republic of Ireland’s penalty.
With France dominating possession, the action was mostly confined inside the Ireland half. Deschamps’ defence looked shaky, the midfield wasn’t working and the forwards were making poor decisions.
It’s a natural disappointment considering the position we got ourselves into, and you look at the goals we conceded.
“I was never anxious”, Griezmann said.
With more space in which to work and Irish tackles more forgiving, a side of France’s quality were always going to break through. Ireland had been blown away and their implosion was complete when Duffy was sent off after fouling on the edge of the penalty area. They have won 14 of those while two matches have ended in draws.
Changes will be enforced for the last eight with midfielder N’Golo Kante and defender Adil Rami suspended after bookings against the Irish.
“We had a bad first half but a few things were said at half-time”.
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Deschamps might have found his best formation; France need to dispense with the cautious idea of playing two defensive midfielders in order to facilitate their best form. “But if that is the case, I think everyone here will have been very proud to share the pitch and the green shirt with them”, Ward told Off The Ball’s Nathan Murphy.
