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FRANCE TAKE ON URUGUAY AS RUSSIA 2018 ENTERS QUARTER FINALS STAGE

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Will Uruguay fall again on a July 6 date in the World Cup? This Friday’s clash with France is the second World Cup fixture that the inaugural World Cup holders will be contesting on July 6 after a defeat by the Netherlands at South Africa 2010.

On the other hand, France will look up to this Friday’s Russia 2018 quarter finals clash with cautious optimism as the encounter comes barely a week to the French national day – July 14.

It is the second consecutive quarter finals appearance by France having been eliminated at this stage four years ago by the eventual World Cup winners, Germany.

For Uruguay, it is a return to the stage after an eight-year absence. Therefore, this clash of the two previous World Cup holders is potentially explosive.   Both are meeting for the ninth time since their first clash at the 1924 Olympic Games football tournament. Coincidentally, it was a quarterfinal clash as that of this Friday at Nizhini Novgorod.

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Certainly, one former World Cup holder will drop out as had happened to Germany, Argentina and Spain. Uruguay, inspired by Luis Suarez will be attempting to have dominance over France having won thrice in the previous eight clashes including the last encounter, five years ago which result was decided by Suarez’s lone goal.

But as it had been happening lately, historical background may not necessarily influence the outcome of matches. France have not been able to score a goal against Uruguay since the solitary 2-0 win in 1985 after goals by Dominque Rocheteau and Jose Toure.

In contrast, FC Barcelona forward, Suarez will be hoping to be the game decider as he did in the last encounter with the French. The Friday match-up will be the third World Cup confrontation, though it is the first beyond the group stage. In 1966, Uruguay won 2-1 and the remaining two clashes in 2002 and 2010 have ended in barren draws.

Both however have been having unbeaten runs in the World Cup and one team’s run will certainly be terminated. France are unbeaten in their last four World Cup games; winning three and drawing one. Uruguay on the other hand have won four games on the trot.

A win this Friday stretches it to their previous record of five which was achieved twice between 1930 and 1950 and also from 1950 to 1954.

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Facts ahead of clash

 

  • Oscar Tabarez, the oldest coach at Russia 2018 will be leading a team to a World Cup match for the 20th He is therefore a joint fourth in all-time coaches’ appearance alongside Bora Milutionvic who handled Nigeria 20 years ago, and Brazil’s Mario Zagallo. The top three are Helmut Schon of Germany (25 matches). Brazil’s Carlos Alberto Parreira (23 matches) and fellowcountryman, Luiz Felipe Scolari (21 matches).

 

  • A total of eight members of the French and Uruguayan squads were involved when both countries met in the final match of FIFA U-20 World Cup final match five years ago. The encounter ended 0-0 at regulation time but the French side won 4-1 on penalties. Uruguay fielded Jose Gimenez, Diego Laxalt, Guillermo Varela, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Ruben Bentancur and Gaston Silva. France had Alphonse Areolam Florian Thauvin, Samuel Umtiti and Paul Pogba.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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