4) France prioritise safety in the second half
With the game well and truly in the bag, it was absolutely no surprise to see Didier Deschamps play his substitution cards in the second half to take off important players who were one booking away from suspension. Olivier Giroud was the first to be wrapped in cotton wool, coming off soon after scoring his second.
His Arsenal team-mate Laurent Koscielny was the next to be taken off to be replaced by Eliaquim Mangala – who was making his first appearance in this tournament. Both players were on a tournament booking and were integral to their side’s chances against the Germans in the semi-final.
Edited by Staff Editor