MX23RW : Tuesday, November 5 15:30:22| >> :600:462943:462943:
[monks data]
Attendance: 64,286
France national football team
World Cup | Semi-Finals
Jul 10, 2018 at 7pm UK
 
Belgium national football team

1-0

Umtiti (51')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Roberto Martinez: 'Belgium beaten by bit of French luck'

Martinez bemoans French
© Reuters
Roberto Martinez describes France's goal in their 1-0 World Cup semi-final victory over Belgium as a "bit of luck".

Belgium coach Roberto Martinez has described France's goal in their 1-0 victory over the Red Devils as a "bit of luck".

Les Bleus overcame their European neighbours in Tuesday night's World Cup semi-final in St Petersburg to condemn Belgium's stellar squad to the third-place playoff on Saturday.

Defender Samuel Umtiti scored the winner in the 51st minute, beating Marouane Fellaini at the near post to head home Antoine Griezmann's corner.

"It was a dead ball situation which was the difference," Martinez told BBC Sport after the game.

"It was a close game and it was very tight and it was going to be decided by that bit of luck in front of goal. The attitude of the players was brilliant and we couldn't ask for anymore. We have to understand one team wins and the other loses, and we did what we could.

"[The France goal] is the type of detail that counts in the semi-final of the World Cup. We have one game left and I want to ensure we finish the tournament on a high because these players don't deserve to leave here with a bad taste."

The second semi-final takes place in Moscow on Wednesday, with England locking horns against Croatia.

ID:330309: cacheID:330309:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2469:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Belgium defender Thomas Meunier in action during his side's international friendly with Portugal on June 2, 2018
Read Next:
Meunier: 'Brazil were disappointing'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!