 "FIFA World Cup 2018: Unbeaten Uruguay face France's deadly attack in most evenly-matched clash of quarters")
Nizhny Novgorod, the strongest fortress of the medieval era Muscovy and the birthplace of Maxim Gorky is all set to witness a riveting contest between France and Uruguay in the first quarter-final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. With the elimination of as many as five footballing powerhouses in the earlier stages, this quarter-final is arguably the most evenly matched one among the entire line-up.
With a semi-final date with either Brazil or Belgium in the offing, the match is being touted for the potential battle between Uruguay’s immovable backline and France’s deadly attackers. But this match is so much more than that – from the sliver of hope which is starting to emit from this France squad patiently moulded into shape by Didier Deschamps to the incredible decade-long preparation of Uruguay under Oscar Tabarez, which is finally seeing them field a strong set of players all across the pitch, the battle at Nizhny Novgorod stadium has the potential to be a World Cup classic.
Have France finally found the winning formula?
France started their campaign sluggishly – barely scraping past the likes of Australia and Peru before playing a frustrating, goalless draw against Denmark which welcomed jeers and catcalls from the spectators at Moscow. Then, came the seven-goal thriller at Kazan when Kylian Mbappe single-handedly destroyed Lionel Messi’s divine chariot as France dumped Argentina out of the World Cup.
Somewhere in between those disappointing group stage displays and that thumping win, Deschamps seems to have found the magic formula, albeit through a bit of a lopsided set-up. That Deschamps prefers to field variations of 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 depending on the opposition is a well-documented fact. Against Argentina, the manager allowed Mbappe a free role on the right wing, devoid of any defensive responsibility whatsoever while Blaise Matuidi provided balance on the opposite flank. Benjamin Parvard, the Stuttgart right-back who is hitting all the right notes in spite of being just 22 years of age, and the diligent N’Golo Kante picked up all his slack while Mbappe unleashed terror on the Argentine defence.
Combine that with Paul Pogba’s convincing performances at the heart of the midfield this summer and Antoine Griezmann’s ability to fuse his excellent work-rate with his penchant for being in the right position at the right time to get on the scoresheet, and France look clear-cut favourites for the cup. The problem with most top-heavy teams at international or club level these days is their defence, but France are cut from a different cloth in that aspect – boasting of two of La Liga’s finest prospects in Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti.
Matuidi’s suspension means Corentin Tolisso will be handed a start on the left of the midfield, but it is Deschamps’ success in finally crafting this talented set of individuals into a worthy team and have them functioning to serve a singular motto which will be key in this crunch encounter.
The spirit of Garra Charrua drives the lion-hearted La Celeste
Unbeaten this summer with a 100 percent record, Uruguay finally put to rest the debacle from four years ago in Brazil with their Round of 16 win over Portugal as Edinson Cavani’s brace capped off a near-perfect victory. A well-balanced squad across the fold, Oscar Tabarez is orchestrating a campaign worthy of glory. In a World Cup (be it in the qualifiers or the finals) when most Latin American nations have struggled to find their footing against the European counterparts, Uruguay have held firm and been one of the flagbearers of convention in a summer increasingly dominated by chaos.
“We know they have a strong attack. We need to go out with a lot of sacrifice, be solid at the back, deny them space to maximise their speed. We want to stop them playing, make their strikers uncomfortable, that’s our weapon. Making them respect us,” Diego Laxalt sounded confident in the pre-match press conference, emphasising that the spirit of Garra Charrua would drive the Sky Blues in their quest.
Cavani’s hamstring injury has robbed Tabarez of his Round of 16 match winner in a crucial blow, but Uruguay have enough pieces to successfully fill that gap in the puzzle. Discipline has been one of the strongholds for the South American nation in recent times, who conceded their first goal of the calendar year against Portugal and have been cautioned only once in their four matches so far in the tournament. The French challenge is unlike anything they have faced so far, but their indomitable attitude makes this tie an engrossing one.
Key Battles
Suarez vs Varane – In Cavani’s expected absence, the onus falls on Luis Suarez to dissect the French rear-guard and the 31-year-old will be eager to shake off all previous World Cup related controversies by putting in a display worthy of the talent possessed by the Barcelona stalwart.
Varane is no stranger to Suarez’s menace or his antics, having come across the Uruguayan in numerous El Clasicos and whether the Real Madrid centre-half manages to tone down Suarez’s all-round play will determine France’s defensive lines, which often tend to oscillate between dodgy and resilient.
Mbappe vs Godin – The 32-year-old Atletico Madrid centre-back is bound to relish the challenge posed by the Paris Saint-Germain youngster. Uruguay have been almost impossible to break down in open play this summer but football’s most expensive teenager and his dynamism is France’s best bet to overcome Uruguay.
The Unpredictability Quotient
France are looking for their ninth straight victory against a South American opposition in the World Cup and their midfield is obviously in a better shape than the Uruguayan side, but their defence simply cannot hold a candle to the La Celeste defenders. Cavani’s injury has tilted the contest in the Europeans’ favour as Uruguay will miss Suarez and Cavani’s synchronized duopoly in the opposition box.
Just like the previous rounds, unconventional approaches and incredulous moments will help a nation walk away with the plaudits in this crackling rendezvous.
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