WORLD CUP | France glides into quarter-finals

Saturday's thrilling win-or-go-home Knockout Round match spread four goals across the two world footballing powers as Olympien Florian Thauvin also made his tournament debut. 

 

The victory over, and subsequent elemination, of Argentina and Lionel Messi, was a special - if not nervy moment - for Les Bleus. The eventual 4-3 scoreline produced utter madness at the Kazan Arena.

 

 Mbappé won a penalty - scored by Griezmann. Argentina equalized with an unbelievable strike from Di Maria in the 41st minute, on their only shot of the first half.

 

Returning from the dressing room, a Messi shot was deflected by Mercado to push Argentina into a 2-1 advantage.

 

France would find its comeback via Pavard's jewel of an equalizer, before Mbappé registered a brace just four minutes apart to seal the victory.

 

Sergio Aguëro reduced the French advantage to 4-3 in added time, but Argentina could not produce any more.

 

Thauvin came into play in the 88th minute in place of Mbappé, making his World Cup debut.