World Cup

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Attendance: 74,240

World Cup | Quarter-Finals

Jul 4, 2014 at 5pm UK

France
0-1
Germany

FT(HT: 0-1)

Hummels (13')

Half-Time Report: Mats Hummels heads Germany into slender advantage

By Shane Callaghan, Reporter | 04 July 2014

Germany are halfway toward the semi-finals of the World Cup after earning a 1-0 half-time lead over France.

Mats Hummels has headed Germany into a 1-0 half-time lead over France in their World Cup quarter-final clash at the Maracana this evening.

Mats Hummels of Germany scores his team's first goal on a header against Raphael Varane of France and past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Quarter Final match between France and Germany at Maracana on July 4, 2014 © Getty Images

The build-up to the encounter was dominated by reports that many of the German camp had been suffering with flu.

However, there were no signs of fatigue early on and Joachim Low's side put to bed any rumours of malaise when Hummels nodded them ahead on 13 minutes.

Germany's defender Mats Hummels celebrates his goal during a quarter-final football match between France and Germany at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on July 4, 2014 © Getty Images

The Borussia Dortmund defender, recalled to the starting lineup in place of Per Mertesacker, vindicated Low by out-muscling Raphael Varane to glance a Toni Kroos free kick past Hugo Lloris.

Les Bleus slowly grew into the game and created their best chance to restore parity on the 33-minute mark.

Antoine Griezmann ran beyond Germany's defence before finding the unmarked Mathieu Valbuena, whose angled first-time shot was saved by Manuel Neuer and Karim Benzema was unable to convert the rebound.

Benzema may have done better later on after latching on to Paul Pogba's cross-field ball but, after evading a number of challenges, fired straight into the arms of Neuer in what proved the last action of the half.