But with Germany extending their hold over the French with a 1-0 quarter-final win at Brazil 2014 – France have not beaten Germany in a competitive fixture since the 1958 World Cup – Arsenal forward Giroud admitted that Joachim Low’s team will go into the semi-final as favourites.
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That headline summed up the task awaiting the host nation, who have firepower up front but do not look ideally equipped at the back for such a daunting challenge.
France contests its first major semifinal in a decade Thursday in Marseille.
Against England Iceland responded nearly immediately to falling behind, but France refused to allow them a route back into the game.
But Iceland’s cool blue replica shirts had already sold out before the France defeat. Things began to look bleak when Paul Pogba headed home a corner from Griezmann in the 19th minute much to the despair of the island nation and its fans who had turned up with a lot of expectations following their sensational run of late.
France, who know all about losing to Germany in the semi-finals, having done it twice – at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups – are not yet where they want to be.
Iceland has only a population of 330,000 but Euro 2016 has put the country “on the map”, according to Arnor Ingvi Traustason.
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. With tactical discipline, endless energy and no small amount of technical poise, Iceland reached the last eight entirely on merit.
“I will take the time to reflect on it”, Deschamps said.
“We have to have a good start to the match”.
The goal took Griezmann to four in the tournament and he is now the highest scorer at Euro 2016.
In the 45th minute, Griezmann scored the fourth by himself, running onto the dummy from Giroud and lifting the ball over the advancing Halldorsson.
France’s Olivier Giroud, right, celebrates with Patrice Evra and Dimitri Payet, left, after scoring his side’s fifth goal during the Euro 2016 quarterfinal soccer match between France and Iceland, at the Stade de France in Sa.
It’s been all about Iceland – their players, their fans, their remarkable run to the quarter-finals.
Captain Aron Gunnarsson said the team had been determined to not go out on the wrong end of a thrashing.
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Gylfi Sigurdsson whipped in a cross and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson slid past Samuel Umtiti, the Barcelona-bound defender making his France debut, to poke the ball over the line in the 56th.
