France (1-0-0, 3 points) vs. Peru (0-0-1, 0 points)
Group C, Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg
France goes to the bench
Ousmane Dembele comes on to replace the goal-scorer, Kylian Mbappe, in the 75th minute.
With three points already in hand and no real need to add to its lead here, France is expertly milking the clock.
Peru starting to press
After finally gaining solid control of the ball, Peru drives deep and gets a couple of good crosses into the box. Sadly for them, the only people waiting to receive the passes are French defenders. Then, in 61st minute, Andre Carrillo lines up a shot from dead center 25 yards out that rises over the bar.
Peru turns to subs for spark
Anderson Santamaria and Jefferson Farfan — the latter a starter for Peru in its opener — are on for Yoshimar Yotun and Alberto Rodriguez.
Farfan is involved almost immediately, rising high for a ball against Samuel Umtiti that results in Umtiti limping off. No sub yet for Les Bleus as the game restarts.
In the 50th minute, Aquino uncorks a shot from 25 yards out that glances off the post. Lloris wouldn’t have gotten to it.
Halftime: France 1, Peru 0
Peru’s defense seemed to come unglued after Mbappe’s goal, allowing a couple of other realistic challenges for France. The last 10 minutes or so of the half were spent almost entirely with Peru back on its heels. Facing World Cup elimination, expect a desperate side in the final 45.
France never has lost when holding a halftime lead at the World Cup, going 19-1-0 (the draw came against South Korea in 2006).
Goal!
France strikes first in the 34th minute. Paul Pogba wins the ball and deftly gets it to Giroud. His shot is deflected but, with Pedro Gallese out of position, Mbappé is there to tap it into a open goal. 1-0 France.
Yellow for Guerrero
After a France foul, it’s Guerrero of Peru who gets the booking for, I guess, getting in someone’s face? Anyway, he’s been officially warned.
The fouls are building up. Scoring chances certainly aren’t.
Yellow for Matuidi
Blaise Matuidi pulls down an onrushing Peru player and is assessed the yellow in the 16th minute.
A couple of long stabs
Early on, Yoshimar Yotun notices that Hugo Lloris has crept up off his line and sends a bomb in from midfield. It hits the top of the net. Later, Paul Pogba attempts one from about 25 yards out and it just goes wide.
And we’re off
It’s safe to say Peru has the edge in the stands, at least based on all the red I’m seeing.
Opening thoughts
France won its opener against Australia but didn’t look all that great doing so, letting the Socceroos hang around for nearly the entire match until Paul Pogba scored the game-winner in the 81st minute (the second goal for Les Bleus that was awarded via the use of video review). For Peru, it was pretty much the opposite: It controlled the action for much of its opener against Denmark but fell, 1-0, with Christian Cueva missing a penalty kick late in the first half. A loss to France would end Peru’s once-high hopes after just two games. Les Bleus will clinch a spot in the knockout round with a win.
France hasn’t lost to a South American team at the World Cup since 1978, when it fell to host Argentina in the group stage.
The lineups
France: Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Pogba, Kanté; Mbappé, Griezmann, Matuidi; Giroud
Peru: Gallese; Advincula, Ramos, Rodriguez, Trauco; Aquino, Flores, Yotun; Carrillo, Guerrero, Cueva
For France, Blaise Matuidi replaces Corentin Tolisso in the midfield and Olivier Giroud replaces Ousmane Dembélé up top. Midfielder Renato Tapia, meanwhile, is out with a concussion for Peru, at least to start. He’s replaced by Pedro Aquino. Captain Paolo Guerrero (see below) also re-assumes his spot in the starting lineup, replacing Jefferson Farfan.
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When: Thursday, June 21, 11 a.m. Eastern.
How to watch on TV: Fox.
How to stream online: Fox Sports and the Fox Soccer Match Pass apps and FoxSportsGo.com.
How to watch in Spanish: Telemundo.
How to watch in Canada: Bell Media’s TSN and CTV networks, the TSN GO app and TSN.ca/live.
Team profiles
France (1-0-0, 3 points)
- Last showing in the World Cup: Quarterfinals, 2014.
- Best finish: Champions, 1998.
- Notable: One of the most decorated teams in Europe, France has reached at least the semifinals on five occasions.
- FIFA world ranking: 7. ELO world ranking: 4.
Peru (0-0-1, 0 points)
- Last showing in the World Cup: Group stage, 1982.
- Best finish: Quarterfinals, 1970.
- Notable.: Peru is back at the World Cup for the first time in 36 years, the longest drought among the teams in Russia.
- FIFA world ranking: 11. ELO world ranking: 15.
Player to watch
Paolo Guerrero, Peru’s all-time leading scorer and captain, did not start against Denmark, a move Coach Ricardo Gareca defended on the grounds that Guerrero hadn’t played much with the team while serving a drug suspension that eventually was overturned. “All the players had been playing for a long time together,” Gareca said. Guerrero eventually entered the game early in the second half and “he played very well. He was very fast when he went on the pitch. He was right up to the pace of everyone else,” Gareca admitted. With Peru facing a must-win situation, Guerrero is back in Gareca’s starting 11 against France.
What’s next
France: vs. Denmark in Moscow, June 26, 10 a.m.
Peru: vs. Australia in Sochi, June 26, 10 a.m.
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