France 4 - 2 Croatia: Finished | 2020-09-08 | UEFA Nations League

Goalkeepers	G	GC	SAV
Hugo Lloris	0	2	2

Forwards	G	GA	S	FC	FW
Anthony Martial	0	1	4	1	9
Antoine Griezmann 78' 43'	1	1	3	0	0
Wissam Ben Yedder 63'	0	0	0	0	1

Midfielders	FC	FW
Moussa Sissoko	2	1
Ferland Mendy	0	1
Steven Nzonzi	1	0
N'Golo Kanté 63'	3	0

Defenders	G	S	FC	FW
Lucas Hernández	0	0	0	1
Clément Lenglet	0	0	2	0
Dayot Upamecano 65'	1	2	3	0

Substitutes	G	S	FC	FW
Eduardo Camavinga 63'(N'Golo Kanté)	0	1	0	0
Olivier Giroud 63'(Wissam Ben Yedder) 77'	1	1	0	1
Nabil Fekir 78'(Antoine Griezmann)	0	0	1	0
Raphael Varane	0	0	0	0
Jonathan Ikone	0	0	0	0
Presnel Kimpembe	0	0	0	0
Léo Dubois	0	0	0	0
Adrien Rabiot	0	0	0	0
Lucas Digne	0	0	0	0
Benoît Costil	0	0	-	-
Mike Maignan	0	0	-	-

Goalkeepers	G	GC	SAV
Dominik Livakovic 46'	0	1	1

Forwards	S	FW
Andrej Kramaric	1	3
Ivan Perisic 66'	2	2
Ante Rebic 45'	0	0

Midfielders	GA	S	FC	FW
Marcelo Brozovic	0	1	2	0
Mateo Kovacic	1	1	2	2
Nikola Vlasic	0	2	1	2

Defenders	G	S	FC	FW
Dario Melnjak	0	0	0	2
Dejan Lovren 16'	1	1	5	0
Duje Caleta-Car	0	0	1	1
Filip Uremovic 57'	0	0	1	1

Substitutes	G	S	FC	FW
Josip Brekalo 45'(Ante Rebic) 55'	1	1	1	0
Domagoj Vida 57'(Filip Uremovic)	0	0	2	0
Mario Pasalic 66'(Ivan Perisic)	0	0	0	0
Borna Barisic	0	0	0	0
Bruno Petkovic	0	0	0	0
Milan Badelj	0	0	0	0
Tin Jedvaj	0	0	0	0
Antonio-Mirko Colak	0	0	0	0
Ante Budimir	0	0	0	0
Mile Skoric	0	0	0	0
Ivo Grbic	0	0	-	-
Simon Sluga	0	0	-	-

90'+4'

That's all from us today folks, we hope you enjoyed the game!

90'+4'

This victory leaves France on six points in Group C, level with Portugal, who will be top on goal difference. Meanwhile Croatia are bottom. However, they will have the chance to get revenge soon, as the two sides face each other again in October.

90'+4'

France clinch a 4-2 victory over Croatia, to replicate their World Cup final winning scoreline from two years ago. The hosts led 2-1 at the break, but Croatia levelled the game just 10 minutes after the restart after a superb goal from Brekalo. However, France pushed on and Upamecano scored a thumping header to make it 3-2, before Giroud added a fourth from the penalty spot.

90'+4'

FULL-TIME: FRANCE 4-2 CROATIA

90'+2'

It looks like France have wrapped up back-to-back Nations League victories, with Croatia unable to get forward and get back into the game at this late stage.

90'

There will be a minimum of FOUR minutes added time played.

87'

Into the wall! Fekir smashes the ball into the Croatia wall, who do their job well and clear the danger.

86'

Free-kick opportunity to France now around 40 yards out, after Martial is fouled by Vida and it looks like Fakir is going to be the man to try and test the Croatia keeper.

84'

If Croatia can get a goal back now, it will certainly make the final few minutes very interesting. However, they now look short of ideas and France seem to be seeing the game out.

82'

The pace of the game has dropped now, with France dropping off a little bit and letting Croatia have the ball in their own half, as they have a two goal cushion heading into the final 10 minutes or so of the game.

80'

Heading into tonights game Croatia had not kept a clean sheet in any of their last four games. The last time France did not manage to score in a game was against Turkey in June last year.

78'

France have made a substitution just after the goal, with Griezmann replaced by Fekir.

77'

GOOOAAALLL! Giroud converts from the penalty spot to make it 4-2 to France! The striker was waiting a while before he could take the spot-kick, but he made no mistakes, sending the keeper the wrong way and placing it in the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

76'

Brozovic is also booked for his protests to the awarding of a penalty.

76'

Lovren immediately runs to the referee and argues the penalty decision, but the referee is having none of it and shows him a yellow card for dissent.

76'

FRANCE PENALTY! The hosts have the chance to make it 4-2 from the penalty spot after the ball strikes the arm of Brozovic in the box after a low cross takes a deflection and then hits him. The referee points to the spot straight away. There are huge protests from the Croatia players and there may be a few bookings as a result.

74'

SAVE! Griezmann feeds Martial down the left, who just manages to stay onside and the striker fires a shot at goal, aiming for the bottom right-hand corner of the net. However, his effort is superbly saved by Livakovic and then cleared from danger by his covering defenders. Martial should've been scoring from there, he only had the keeper to beat.

71'

CHANCE! Camavinga cuts inside from the right wing, using the run of Griezmann to fool the visitors defence and then fires a powerful shot at goal, however, it is too close to Livakovic, who makes a very good save.

70'

Portugal are still beating Sweden 1-0 in the other Group C game, which means that France are joint top and Croatia are bottom on goal difference as it stands.

68'

Nzonzi is booked for his challenge on Lovren, despite the appeals for a shove on the French midfielder.

66'

Croatia change now as it looks like Perisic has picked up a knock, so he has been replaced by Pasalic.

65'

Griezmann with the assist, his set piece delivery had just the right amount of pace on it for Upamecano to rise highest in the penalty area and power the header home.

65'

GOOOAAALLL! France are back in the lead, it's 3-2! What an end-to-end game this is! Upamecano with a superb header straight from a corner, it's powerful and headed down into the ground, out of the reach of Livakovic and into the back of the net.

63'

The other France change sees Ben Yedder replaced by Giroud.

63'

Here come the France substitutions, the first sees Kante leave the pitch and he has been replaced by Camavinga.

61'

It looks like France are about to make their first changes of the game shortly, with Giroud warming up on the sidelines. They need to change something as Croatia once again look strong in attack.

59'

Kante is booked for a late challenge on his Chelsea team-mate Kovacic in the middle of the pitch.

57'

Slight delay to the restart of the game, as Croatia make an enforced substitution, with Uremovic coming off and he has been replaced by Vida.

55'

Kovacic spotted the run from his team-mate and played a lovely ball over the top of the French defence, which Brekalo managed to get onto the end of and finish past Lloris.

55'

GOOOAAALLL! Croatia are level, it's 2-2! Superb goal by Brekalo, outpacing Mendy and then showing great skill to cut inside and beat Mendy again and then covering Lenglet in the penalty area, before firing the ball past Lloris and into the far corner of the net.

52'

The hosts are pressing forward in search of another goal right now, but Croatia are pressing them very quickly when they get towards the final third, making it difficult to break through.

50'

France look eager to try and score another goal and give themselves some breathing space as the second half has started at a frantic pace.

45'+3'

Croatia opened up France a few times at the back, with their attacking front three finding time and space down the wings, so they are unlucky to be behind at the break. The other game in Group C currently sees Portugal beating Sweden 1-0.

45'+3'

France lead 2-1 at the break over Croatia, however, they were behind for much of the first half, after Lovren fired the visitors ahead on 16 minutes. However, France rallied and improved as the half went on, with Griezmann leveling the score, before an own goal from Livakovic, after a Martial shot, put them ahead in stoppage time.

48'

Croatia have only lost two of their last ten games in all competitions, winning six and drawing two, with their most recent defeat coming against Portugal last time out.

45'+3'

HALF-TIME: FRANCE 2-1 CROATIA

46'

The second half is under way!

45'+1'

GOOOAAALLL! France take the lead in stoppage time, it's 2-1! Martial gets on the end of a low Ben Yedder cross from the right wing, he slides in and fires it towards goal, but it strikes the post and then hits the unlucky Livakovic, before trickling over the line.

45'+1'

Croatia have made a substitution ahead of the second half, with Rebic replaced by Brekalo.

45'

There will be a minimum of three minutes added time played.

43'

Martial made the goal with a superb run which the Croatia defence just didn't pick up on and Griezmann made no mistakes with the finish.

43'

GOOOAAALLL! France have equalised just before the break, it's 1-1! Excellent run and play by Martial, who plays a quick pass to Mendy, who feeds Ben Yedder in the box, he flicks it back to Martial who continued his run into the box and then he squares it to Griezmann who produced a superb flick to fire it into the back of the net.

42'

France have picked up the pace in the last few minutes in an attempt to get a goal before the break. However, the Croatian defence are doing a very good job of keeping the out of their final third and not allowing them any time or space on the ball.

40'

There's not long left to play at the Stade de France before the end of the first half now, can France find an equaliser before the half-time whistle?

38'

Lenglet is the first France player to be booked after his late sliding challenge on Kovacic, catching the midfielder late.

35'

Wasted opportunity! Griezmann steps up to take a free-kick, but he gets it all wrong and the ball flies high over the crossbar, not troubling Livakovic.

34'

The first yellow card of the game is shown to Caleta-Car for his challenge on Ben Yedder, which hands France a good free-kick shooting opportunity from around 30 yards out.

33'

CHANCE! Great opportunity for France to go level! Griezmann is played through on goal by Martial and the Manchester United striker asks for the return ball, but Grizmann goes for goal himself, but Livakovic rushes off his line and makes a terrific save and then the rebound is cleared by Brozovic. He should've done better from there.

31'

France are undefeated in their last eight games in all competitions and their last defeat came against Turkey in the European Championship qualifiers.

29'

We're almost at the half an hour mark here at the Stade de France and it remains Croatia who lead 1-0 thanks to Lovren's strike, with France yet to register a shot on target.

27'

Decent chance! Another Croatia corner and France clear the initial ball, but it comes back out to Brozovic, who tries a cheeky curling shot from a tight angle, trying to catch Lloris out at his near post. However, the keeper reads it well and makes a comfortable save.

25'

BLOCKED! Excellent defending by Lenglet to cut out a terrific ball into the box by Melnjak, who outpaced Sissoko down the left wing. Two Croatia attackers were waiting for the ball to fall to their feet, so Lenglet had to make sure he got their first and turned the ball away for a corner.

23'

France have managed to slow the pace of the game down again now, after a hectic couple of minutes from their opponents. So far they are yet to test Livakovic in the Croatia goal.

21'

Good move! Really good ball over the top of the Croatia defence by Sissoko which Griezmann just manages to get onto the end of and he tries to square it back to a team-mate in the box, but it is superbly cut out by Caleta-Car.

20'

Free-kick to France in a decent position now, with Griezmann delivering the ball into the penalty area, which Nzonzi tries to flick on towards the far corner of the net, but it takes a deflection and goes wide and out of play.

19'

However, this time France clear the danger from the set piece, but Croatia win the ball back and keep the pressure on their opponents up.

18'

It's all Croatia at the moment, they now have another corner opportunity and everyone is coming up from the back to try and take advantage again.

16'

GOOOAAALLL! Croatia take the lead, it's 1-0! Lovren with a terrific strike to fire the visitors ahead in Paris. It comes after a deep corner is headed back to the centre-back, who shows great skill to control the ball and switch it onto his left, before smashing it past Lloris and into the far corner of the net.

15'

Croatia have never beaten France, with the two teams previously meeting four times and France have won three of them, and one game ended in a draw.

13'

France win the first corner of the game, after Ben Yedder takes on Caleta-Car down the right wing and his cross into the box is well blocked by defender. Can the hosts carve out an opportunity here? No. Croatia clear the ball at the near post.

11'

Martial has hardly touched the ball for France so far, in fact only Griezmann has really been involved much out of the France front three so far. No chances for either side yet.

9'

Almost! Good move by the hosts, with Ben Yedder making a good overlapping run into the Croatia penalty area, but Griezmann's pass is just blocked in the nick of time. Otherwise the striker would've had a clear shot at goal.

7'

The two wing-backs for France are having to do a lot of defending at the moment, making sure that their opponents can't find any space down the flanks.

5'

This is better from Croatia, they are keeping the ball much better now, with the midfield three linking up play nicely. They might be able to get some success against this France back three, as they are playing with three attackers themselves.

3'

It's the hosts with the opening period of possession here, but much of it is in their own half and Croatia are pressing them high up the pitch and not allowing them into their half.

1'

We're under way!

-

The teams are out on the pitch and kick-off is just a few minutes away, stay tuned for all of the match action!

-

Croatia are without a few key players, with Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic not included in the squad. They have made five changes to their team that were beaten against Portugal, with Jedvaj, Vida, Barisic, Pasalic and Brekalo replaced by Uremovic, Caleta-Car, Melnjak, Brozovic and Perisic, who also takes the captains armband.

-

France have made seven changes to their starting XI, with Sissoko, Lenglet, Mendy, Hernandez, Nzonzi, Ben Yedder and Martial all coming into the side, with Varane, Kimpembe, Dubois, Rabiot, Digne, Giroud and Mbappe dropping out.

-

CROATIA SUBS: Bruno Petkovic, Mario Pasalic, Borna Barisic, Ivo Grbic, Simon Sluga, Domagoj Vida, Tin Jedvaj, Mile Skoric, Ante Budimir, Antonio-Mirko Colak, Josip Brekalo, Milan Badelj.

-

CROATIA (4-3-3): Dominik Livakovic; Filip Uremovic, Duje Caleta-Car, Dejan Lovren, Dario Melnjak; Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Nikola Vlasic; Ante Rebic, Andrej Kramaric, Ivan Perisic.

-

FRANCE SUBS: Adrien Rabiot, Nabil Fekir, Presnel Kimpembe, Mike Maignan, Leo Dubois, Jonathan Ikone, Lucas Digne, Eduardo Camavinga, Raphael Varane, Olivier Giroud.

-

FRANCE (3-4-3): Hugo Lloris; Dayot Upamecano, Clement Lenglet, Lucas Hernandez; Moussa Sissoko, N'Golo Kante, Steven Nzonzi, Ferland Mendy; Antoine Griezmann, Wissam Ben Yedder, Anthony Martial.

-

Meanwhile Croatia suffered an opening game defeat against Portugal, losing 4-1, to leave them bottom of Group C. They finished bottom of their group in the previous edition of the Nations League, whilst France finished joint top with the Netherlands in their group, but the Dutch qualified for the finals on their head-to-head goal difference.

-

France secured a 1-0 victory over Sweden in their opening Nations League goal, thanks to a strike from Kylian Mbappe. However, the striker is now unavailable after testing positive for Covid-19 yesterday. This is also the first meeting between the two sides since the 2018 World Cup Final, which France won 4-2, to clinch their second World Cup title.

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Hello and welcome to our LIVE match commentary of the Group C Nations League clash between France and Croatia at the Stade de France in Paris.

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