Euro 2016 Quarterfinal #4

France 5, Iceland 2
Goals: Olivier Giroud (FRA) 12’, Paul Pogba (FRA) 20’, Dmitri Payet (FRA) 43’, Antoine Griezmann (FRA) 45’, Kolbeinn Sigthórsson (ISL) 56’, Giroud 59’, Birkir Bjarnason (ISL) 84’

General Thoughts:
Note: I didn’t get to see this game on the 3rd, when it happened, so I watched it the morning of the 4th. I successfully avoided all news and information of the match.

• According to ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap – who spent the previous few days in Reykjavik, Iceland – the Icelandic players are already being hailed as heroes in Iceland. Upon their return, they will get a parade.  Now, my thoughts.  If the French lose this game – in the Stade de France, where they play their competitive home matches – they will be blasted in the French sporting press.  Iceland has nothing to lose.  All of the pressure is on France.
• The lobbed pass from midfielder Blaise Matuidi to forward Olivier Giroud that set up the first French goal was perfect. I love seeing plays like that.
• Paul Pogba’s header off of Antoine Griezmann’s corner in the 20th minute put Iceland behind by two goals for the first time all tournament.
• Midfielder Dmitri Payet’s goal in the 43rd minute seemed to demoralize Iceland. France looked like they were going to start steamrolling.
• And steamroll they did. Right after I typed the previous bullet point, Griezmann busted loose on a breakaway, which he finished with a beautifully chipped shot in the 45th minute.
• Two observations going into halftime:  France finally played up to their full potential in the first half, and the French looked like they did their homework going into this match.[1]
• Iceland midfielder Gylfi Sigurðsson made a great low cross in the 56th minute to set up an outstanding finish by forward Kolbeinn Sigthórsson.
• Dmitri Payet’s lobbed ball on a long free kick that went inside the box to set up Olivier Giroud’s header in the 59th minute was one of the best I’ve ever seen. It also seemed to extinguish any momentum that Iceland’s goal gave them.
• French manager Didier Deschamps[2] told Payet two years ago that he wasn’t good enough for the national squad. Did that inspire Payet or what?[3]
• Iceland has nothing to be ashamed of. They put together a great run in this tournament.
• France advances to play Germany in the semifinals on Thursday in Marseille. It will be tough, but, amazingly, France leads the all-time series with Germany.[4]
• Germany has won their last seven major tournament semifinal matches against host countries. That doesn’t bode well for France.

July 4, 2016, 9:15 am MST

[1] I’m sure that Iceland’s other opponents did their homework as well…but they didn’t look like they did in the games.

[2] Deschamps is one of the most respected men in all of French soccer.  He captained the squads that won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 Euro.

[3] I wouldn’t be surprised if this was Deschamps’ plan all along.  He is that smart of a coach.  Telling a talented, competitive player who hasn’t worked hard enough to reach his full potential that he isn’t good enough for the World Cup squad in order to light a fire under him?  I wouldn’t put that past Deschamps at all.  His leadership as a captain seemed to draw the best out of his teammates on a regular basis.

[4] Their record against Germany is 12-9-5.