France 1-0 Belgium match report: World Cup 2018 semi-final

France 1-0 Belgium: match report

France are through to the World Cup final for the first time since 2006 after seeing off a tame Belgium challenge. Didier Deschamps side have coasted for large parts of the tournament but are through to the decider without being forced into extra-time or without sweating

Roberto Martinez, who was widely praised for his tactical acuity in Belgium's win over Brazil, got his tactics wrong on Tuesday night. He picked Mousa Dembele in place of Thomas Meunier and shiftied a more focused attention on midfield than on the wings with Dries Mertens missing out again.

Belgium started better than the eventual winners but once France got to grips with Hazard down the left hand side, there only ever looked like there would be one outcome. They pushed for a goal before the break but Belgium dug their heels in and hung on.

But there was only so long they could repel the repeated attacks on their goal. A corner came after increasing pressure that saw efforts from Giround and Griezmann. When the cross came in from the latter, Umtiti glances it home despite attention from Marouane Fellaini.

Roberto Martinez brought on Mertens and he made a massive difference but France looked equally likely on the break. In the end, with a couple of could-have-been chances falling to Lukaku, France won with that sole set-piece.

They don't know who their opponents are yet but they are yet to meet a team to take them out of their comfort zone. Despite the high hopes many had of Belgium doing just that and turning this semi-final into a ding-dong battle, Deschamps and France were always in control.

France vs Belgium live online: updates | World Cup 2018 semi-final

France vs Belgium live online: preview | World Cup 2018 semi-final

Saint Petersburg is the venue for the first World Cup semi-final as France and Belgium look to lock up a place in the final on Sunday. France are looking to make their first final since 2006 when they lost to Italy while Roberto Martínez and Belgium are trying to get to the decider for the first time in the competition's history. Belgium have a cuckoo in the nest with Frenchman Thierry Henry on the bench. Hugo Lloris says 'his heart will be split' on Tuesday night but he they might be slightly concerned over what he might know heading into the game even if they are on a mission to prove he picked the wrong side for the World Cup. Neither of these sides have been brought to extra-time or penalties in the tournament and that could change tonight in what will surely be tight and tense from the start.

France can count on Blaise Matuidi, who returns from suspension and should slot into the starting eleven again with Corentin Tolisso. France have been involved in the most exciting games such as their 4-3 win over Argentina in the last 16 but showed they can get the job done in more pragmatic style with their 2-0 victory over Uruguay in the quarter-final. They will likely need a blend of both styles to overcome Belgium's balance approach. The Balon d'Or winner this year is likely to come from the World Cup, it has been said, and Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann along with Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne are all making a case for themselves this summer. Mbappé missed training ahead of the game but Didier Deschamps said it was purely a precautionary measure and he should be fine to start against the Red Devils.

Now that the cat is out of the bag regarding Martínez' tactics and his ploy of playing Romelu Lukaku as a winger like during his Everton days, it will be very interesting to see how he approaches the France game. France can be just as explosive as Brazil and have playmakers all over the field, Thomas Meunier, who was key to keeping Neymar quite during that win over Brazil, is suspended after picking up a yellow in that game, and will likely be replaced by Thomas Vermaelen with a touted switch to a a 4-4-2 being mentioned.