Nineteen-year-old Mbappe scored two goals in the Argentina game.
Fleet-footed
France will have to find a way past the tournament’s joint-meanest
defenders Uruguay in the first of two inter-continental World Cup
quarter-finals on Friday.
Fifa
World Cup 2018 : Uruguay will seek to summon up all their famous
defensive spirit to shackle the Europeans’ lighting-fast teenage
top-scorer Kylian Mbappe.
The
South Americans kept Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo at bay in their
2-1 last-16 win, and that goal conceded was the only one against them
so far in Russia - a defensive feat only matched by Brazil, who play
Belgium later on Friday.
But
France banged in four goals in their last 16 game against Argentina,
and will be hoping their formidable attacking trio of Antoine
Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe can turn it on again at
the Nizhny Novgorod stadium.
Nineteen-year-old
Mbappe scored two goals in the Argentina game, becoming the first
teenager since Brazilian great Pele in the 1958 final to score two
goals in one World Cup match.
But
it was his amazing 70-metre sprint earlier in the match, to win
France a penalty, that stunned viewers worldwide.
“I
was wondering whether he was riding a scooter,” joked France
midfielder Florian Thauvin of the teenager whom Uruguay’s defenders
must be having nightmares about.
On
the surface, though, Uruguay look relaxed and their experienced
central defenders Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin are relishing the
chance to foil both Mbappe and their friend and Atletico Madrid team
mate Griezmann.
“We
want to deny them space, stop them playing, make their strikers
uncomfortable - that’s our weapon,” said midfielder Diego Laxalt
at the Uruguay camp in a hotel outside Nizhny Novgorod which, oddly,
is painted in the colours of Brazil.
With
an impressive strike partnership of their own in Luis Suarez and
Edinson Cavani, the Uruguayans believe they can surpass their most
recent best of a semi-final in 2010 - though Cavani is sweating on a
calf injury that may keep him out.
‘Les
Bleus’ will be inspired by the two-decade anniversary of their only
World Cup win in 1998, while double winners Uruguay’s modern
generation are desperate to recreate the black-and-white-era glories
of their 1930 and 1950 trophies.
The
winners will play Brazil or Belgium, who meet in their quarter-final
in Kazan on Friday evening, for a place in the July 15 final.
Uruguay
vs France: When and Where to Watch
1st
match: Uruguay
vs France
When
and Where to watch: Uruguay vs France
Time:
7:30 PM (IST)
Story By BS
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