Germany booked their place in the last four of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over France on Friday night, in which Mats Hummels headed the only goal of the game.
France had a few chances at the other end, but were wasteful in front of goal with Manuel Neuer also saving well from Mathieu Valbuena.
Didier Deschamps threw on two more striker in the last 10 minutes, but Germany held firm to reach their fourth semi-final in a row.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello all! Thanks for joining me this afternoon for what, on paper, looks to be the most exciting clash of the World Cup so far. It's the last eight and the two heavyweights France and Germany face off for a spot in the semi-finals. Exciting, much?
There is not really a favourite in this one, and you can see why. The two teams respectively started very well, with Germany beating Portugal 4-0 in their opener and France seeing off Switzerland 5-2 on matchday two, but since then they have not quite lived up to those heights. Germany, in particular, were poor against both the USA and Algeria.
Ok then, without going further into the build-up.. The teams are in so I'll get those right over to you.
FRANCE XI: Lloris; Debuchy, Varane, Sakho, Evra; Cabaye, Pogba, Matuidi, Valbuena, Griezmann; Benzema
GERMANY XI: Neuer; Howedes, Hummels, Boateng, Lahm; Khedira, Schweinsteiger; Kroos, Ozil, Muller; Klose
So that's three changes to Low's team from their win over Algeria. Shkodran Mustafi is now out of the rest of the tournament, so Philipp Lahm moves from midfield into the right-back position. Sami Khedira replaces him in the middle, while Mats Hummels is in for Per Mertesacker and Miroslav Klose gets his first start, in place of Mario Gotze.
For France, there are two changes made by Didier Deschamps. Both Laurent Koscielny and Olivier Giroud drop out of the XI and are replaced by Mamadou Sakho and Antoine Griezmann respectively. It means a reshuffle where Olivier Giroud leads the line for them.
France have been full of goals so far this World Cup, and indeed it was only in the 0-0 draw against Ecuador that they failed to find the net. Apart from that, they have scored two or more in every game that they have played, which means a great deal of threat to a Germany backline that has constantly been shuffled.
There will be a bit of worry for Low ever since that opening-day win over Portugal. They have shown defensive vulnerability against Ghana and then very much struggled to break down USA and Algeria in their two most recent games. They have not been quite the attacking force as many had expected, and their form seems to be getting worse which is not how to win a World Cup.
Of course, games are not won on form and you would be silly to write off Germany in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. It is interesting that Low has decided to start Klose today, because one of the things that the false-nine formation has lost them is that target in attack. They now have crosses as a genuine option.
GRAPHIC: Blaise Matuidi vs Toni Kroos - World Cup 2014 statistics #fra #ger #WSBrazil14 pic.twitter.com/cpLml8c0yR
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) July 4, 2014
That's a very interesting graphic indeed, as the two players' stats seemingly suggest that they should be the other way around. I would expect more attacking dribbles from Toni Kroos and certainly more tackles from Blaise Matuidi, but the two are very versatile players and show how they can adapt to a team's needs.
#FRA v #GER is on @BBCMOTD from 4.30pm join @GaryLineker, @rioferdy5, Ruud Gullit and Alan Shearer on @BBCOne pic.twitter.com/G56hYMfbXp
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) July 4, 2014
Just under 15 minutes until kickoff now. Could this be the day that Klose breaks Ronaldo's World Cup goalscoring record? It's a huge opportunity for him and his time is running out. You'd have to say (although we have before) this is his last World Cup! He has a maximum of three games to do it.
PREDICTION: With kickoff time edging closer, who do I think will win? Really, really tough call this and in fact Germany have been drifting all day with the bookmakers. I think it will go to extra time or even penalties, but I can see Germany qualifying however they manage to do it. Let's say 1-1 AET with Germany on penalties shall we?
The players are on the pitch and it's time for the national anthems. These are two of the best you can get, in my opinion, but I think Germany just about shades it. It's nice to see a jolly one, however, so well done France.
There are a lot of supporters from both teams here today, but as always a big neutral section with plenty of Brazil shirts. We'll find out soon enough who they are supporting I'm sure.
KICKOFF: We're underway then in this oh-so crucial quarter-final. This one should be excellent.
Early sight of goal there for Germany. Thomas Muller broke down the right with Patrice Evra out of position, but his shot was partially cleared before Toni Kroos's shot from the edge of the box was blocked.
France are passing the ball well and have enjoyed a spell of possession in the last few minutes. Mathieu Valbuena does really well to turn sharply in the box and clip in a ball for Karim Benzema, but the striker puts his shot just wide. Good play there from Les Bleus though.
Still France are seeing a lot of the ball. Germany can hardly touch the ball at the moment, with Klose having to come quite deep to try to get the ball. Here they come, however, but Schweinsteiger is then fouled by Paul Pogba. France have certainly been the better team so far.
GOAL! France 0-1 Germany (Mats Hummels)
That's a brilliant header by Hummels! Kroos swings the ball right into the danger zone, where Hummels beats his man to glance a header right into the top corner off the underside of the bar. Any higher and it's missing - any lower and Hugo Lloris might have got there.
Germany did not really deserve to take the lead, but it should mean that we get a very good game here. France will have to go for it now, but really they have sat back since the goal.
Neither side are currently on top of the game. Both teams are misplacing a lot of passes and the goal has had the opposite effect than I was hoping for. Germany are trying to patiently probe, but things haven't quite clicked in the final third.
Really poor pass there from Jerome Boateng, who aimed down the left flank but there was no-one there to pick it up. France are just edging back on top of this with some nice passing, but Benzema is caught just offside from Valbuena's pass.
Klose wants a penalty and so does Muller. The ball was played into Klose and Debuchy may have grabbed at his shirt a bit, but I think the way that he went down - arms up - made the referee's mind up for him. I've seen them given, but it wasn't a penalty in my mind.
It's a little scrappy, in truth, and that can be the case in games as important as this. Germany have a free kick on the right site, which Ozil is stepping over. Kroos awaits with him, and it's a good angle for right or left.
Valbuena is very lively up front for France, but he's about the only one so far for them. Germany have plenty of pace on the break and at the moment they are utilising it quite well. Muller this time goes down in the box under a challenge from Debuchy, but again there was nothing in it.
SAVE! What a stop from Neuer! Valbuena chests down a cross at the far post and angles an effort low with his left foot, but Neuer is down so quickly to get an arm on it, with Hummels then able to block Benzema's rebound over the bar.
Not too much longer of this half then, and Germany still hold the advantage. Apart from that Valbuena effort a few minutes ago there has not been much in the way of goulmouth action.
Half-chance a few moments ago for Benzema with his head, but he planted it straight into the chest of Hummels who was challenging him. The striker has struggled to get much change out of the Dortmund man, who has had an excellent half.
There will be one minute added on at the end of this half.
HALF-TIME: France 0-1 Germany
Well that was a very tactical battle. Germany just about shaded the half - particularly after the goal - and they hold a slender lead into the break. There have been half-chances at both ends, but the best was Hummels' header that he took really well.
France's best opportunity was probably Valbuena's effort that was brilliantly saved by Neuer. The ball came in from the right before he chested it down and shot left-footed from an angle before Neuer got down really well to save. Benzema has had a couple of half-chances, but they have not created enough.
I wouldn't expect either manager to make any changes at the break, but probably around 60 minutes. Klose needs to get into the game a little bit more for my liking, and really only Valbuena has impressed in the French attack.
The players and coaches are heading back out now, and we're not far away from the restart.
KICKOFF: We're back underway here then. France straight on the attack with Benzema looking for Griezmann, but it just wouldn't sit properly for him.
Brilliant take there from Klose, who plucked the ball out of the air before looking to his right for Muller. His angled ball in the direction of Ozil was just too long and goes out of play near the corner flag.
Good move by Germany ends in a corner. Kroos, on the edge of the box, waited for the run of Ozil and his low cross was cut out and put behind by Debuchy. Nothing comes from the corner and Lloris gets the decision when there was not a foul on him. The keeper is always likely to get that decision, of course.
BOOKING: Khedira is the first man booked for a late foul in midfield. He has been quite quiet in there, with Schweinsteiger dictating much of the German play.
Really good break down the left there from Matuidi. He was looking for Griezmann with his cross and Schweinsteiger did really well to recover and clear for a corner, which nothing comes from.
France are seeing all the ball at the moment, as Valbuena is clattered by Schweinsteiger in the middle. There wasn't a lot in that, really, just the size difference between the players meant that the little Frenchman ended up a lot worse in the clash. Germany still lead 1-0, and on this basis it might well be enough.
There doesn't seem to be a great deal of urgency as yet by France to get back into this game. Obviously there is still plenty of time, but they will need to pick up the pace and start creating more. Olivier Giroud is warming up and he could be a different kind of threat.
GERMANY SUBSTITUTION: Andre Schurrle is on now for Klose. It won't be today that he breaks the record, then.
Schurrle has already shown plenty of pace in the couple of minutes that he has been on the pitch. I was expecting Muller to go up front now that Klose is off, but for now Schurrle is zipping around centrally. Muller has stayed right, but he has not done a lot so far up against Evra.
FRANCE SUBSTITUTION: Off comes Cabaye, with Loic Remy on for him. Two strikers now and a bit of pace up front. France have to go for it now.
CHANCE! Brilliant block that from Hummels. Benzema brought the ball down and cut on to his left foot to take one man out of the game before shooting left-footed, but Hummels was having none of it and blocked it behind for a corner.
France are upping the pressure a little, but they are quickly running out of time.
CHANCE! What a huge chance for Germany! They break down the left with Muller finding Ozil. He drives across and pulls it back to Schurrle, but he somehow picks out the legs of Lloris with a shot that was far too casual! If he lashes that it's 2-0 and the semi-final. Somehow France are still in this.
GERMANY SUBSTITUTION: Off comes Ozil, with Mario Gotze on to the pitch instead. Can he have an impact late on?
FRANCE SUB: Final throw of the dice in attack for France, with Olivier Giroud coming on for Valbuena. That's three strikers on the pitch, can one of them score?
CHANCE! Another late chance for Germany and again Schurrle might have done better. This time he has in on his stronger foot, but crashes his effort into a defender.
We have just ticked over into stoppage time, of which there will be four minutes. This does not look good for France.
GERMANY SUB: Off comes Kroos, who has played pretty well, and in his place is Christoph Kramer to shore things up a little.
CHANCE! Surely the last chance there! Benzema drove through into the box and shot from an angle, but he shot high and Neuer pushed it away with one arm. That was as casual as you like from the Germany stopper, but Benzema should have shot low.
FULL-TIME: France 0-1 Germany
So Germany are into their fourth semi-final in a row, and really that was never in doubt from the moment that Hummels headed them in front. France might think that they should have done better, but they were not good enough in front of goal, while Germany were thoroughly efficient.
Thanks for joining me this afternoon, and please do stick around as we will also bring coverage from Brazil's game against Colombia. From here though, it's goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
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