World Cup 2018: Argentina vs. France recap, highlights from Les Bleus 4-3 win

Kenan Goyette

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World Cup 2018: Argentina vs. France recap, highlights from Les Bleus 4-3 win image

What a match. Led by 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe, France's all-star squad defeated Lionel Messi and Argentina, 4-3 in the first match of the Round of 16.

Les Bleus took an early lead on a penalty kick from Antoine Griezmann but Argentina responded to knot it up just before halftime. Less than three minutes into the second half, Argentina handed France its first deficit of the tournament with a Messi to Gabriel Mercado goal.

WORLD CUP 2018:  Argentina vs. France preview, players to watch, key stats

Then the French onslaught began as Benjamin Pavard delivered a strike to tie it up and Mbappe followed it with two more goals, making him the first teenager to score 2+ goals in the World Cup since Pele did it in 1958.

France is now 5-0 all-time in the Round of 16 while Argentina is eliminated in the same round for the first time since 1994.

The French will move on to the quarterfinals and will face Uruguay or Portugal.

Argentina vs. France, TV channel and live stream

In the U.S., Argentina vs. France aired live on Fox and can be live-streamed, along with the rest of the World Cup, on fuboTV ( sign up for a free seven-day trial ). 

Argentina vs. France: Recap, highlights

Final: France 4, Argentina 3

SECOND HALF

93 — Whoa, Argentina not done yet! Sergio Aguero puts it in the goal to close the gap to one.

89 — Kylian Mbappe subs out for Florian Thauvin after a terrific two-goal performance to put Les Bleus ahead.

85 — Messi gets a decent shot on goal but can't convert it. It's getting late here for Argentina.

83 — Antoine Griezmann is done for the day. He gets subbed out for Nabil Fekir.

75 — A pair of substitutions here: Argentina's Maximiliano Meza in for Cristian Pavón and France's Corentin Tolisso for Blaise Matuidi.

70 — So close. France's Olivier Giroud nearly makes it a three-goal lead with a shot from the left side of the box but misses to the left.

68 — He does it again! A perfect pass and an easy finish for Kylian Mbappe who puts Les Bleus up 4-2. That's his third goal of this tournament.

66 — Another Argentinian substitution. Sergio Aguero replaces Enzo Perez.

64 — MBAPPE! The French forward makes a slick move and puts it just out of reach of goalkeeper Franco Armani. France retakes the lead 3-2. What a match this has been.

57 — That one will go! France's Benjamin Pavard takes a cross and puts an absolute strike into the top left corner to tie it up, 2-2. That was Pavard's first career international goal.

55 — That was close. A miscommunication between Federico Fazio and Franco Armani nearly leads to an easy goal for France. Still 2-1, Argentina.

48 — And Argentina takes the lead! Messi bends it from the right side of the box and it deflects off Gabriel Mercado and into the goal on a free kick. France trails for the first time in this World Cup.

45 — Argentina makes a substitution to start the second half. Federico Fazio replaces Marcos Rojo.

HALFTIME

France led off with an early penalty kick from Antoine Griezmann (11') but Argentina was able to knot it up at 1-1 with a late goal from Angel Di Maria (41'). Argentina has the edge in possession having the ball for 64-percent of the first half. A lot of physical play has led to three yellow cards for Argentina. France converted on just one of their three shots on goal while Argentina scored on one of their two.

FIRST HALF

41 — GOAL! Argentina's Angel Di Maria is wide open at the top of the box off the throw in and launches one into the top right corner to tie it up, 1-1.

20 — Paul Pogba takes the free kick and misses high. Still 1-0 for the French.

18 — Paul Pogba passes to Kylian Mbappe who again runs past the Argentinian defense and draws a foul, nearly another penalty.

11 — What a run from Kylian Mbappe and he draws a penalty and a yellow card for Marcos Rojo. Antoine Griezmann takes the PK and delivers! France takes the early 1-0 lead with a shot to the bottom left corner past Argentine goalkeeper Franco Armani.

7 — Kylian Mbappe draws the foul and a free kick in the attacking half. Antoine Griezmann takes it and just misses off the crossbar.

3rd minute — Lionel Messi goes down. He's okay and Argentina will get a free kick on the right wing.

Argentina vs. France notes 

(via Opta)

  • France have reached the quarterfinals in consecutive World Cup tournaments for the first time.

  • France are unbeaten in their last nine World Cup meetings with South American nations (W5 D4), since losing 1-2 against Argentina in the 1978 tournament.

  • This was just the fifth time Argentina have conceded 4+ goals in a World Cup match, and first since losing 0-4 to Germany in the 2010 quarterfinal.

  • Argentina are the first team to score at least three goals but still lose a World Cup match since the USSR vs Belgium in 1986 (3-4).

  • France scored with all four of their shots on target in this match. They’d scored three goals from 12 shots on target in the group stages.

  • There were eight yellow cards in this match, equalling the most shown in a single game so far at the 2018 World Cup (also Belgium vs Panama).

  • Seven of the eight shots on target in this match were scored, with the exception being Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the 85th minute.

  • France’s Kylian Mbappe became the first teenager to score at least twice in a World Cup match since Pele netted twice for Brazil against Sweden in the 1958 final.

  • France forward Kylian Mbappe became the first teenager to score multiple goals in a World Cup tournament since Michael Owen for England in 1998.

  • France have never lost an international match in which Antoine Griezmann has scored for them (W17 D2 L0).

  • At 30.16 yards, Angel Di Maria’s equaliser for Argentina was the longest range goal scored so far in the 2018 World Cup.

  • Benjamin Pavard’s goal was his first for France in what was his ninth appearance for Les Bleus.

  • Argentina’s Lionel Messi has played 756 minutes of football (eight matches) in World Cup knockout stage matches, but has failed to score a single goal.

  • Argentina’s Lionel Messi is the only player to have delivered an assist in each of the last four World Cup tournaments.

Argentina starting XI

France starting XI

Kenan Goyette