Saudi FM meets President Aoun in historic visit to Lebanon "Saudi Arabia stands by Lebanon and is optimistic about its future"    Saudi crown prince and US secretary of state discuss over phone ways to enhance cooperation    NMC: Most Saudi regions to witness rain of varying intensity until Monday    Alkhorayef meets global executives at WEF to boost Saudi industrial growth    Advancing Saudi Vision 2030: Technology as a Cornerstone for Growth    WEF 2025: Saudi delegation calls for global cooperation, climate action, and AI-driven innovation    GASTAT: Non-oil exports surge 19.7% in November 2024    Saudi Arabia strongly condemns Israeli attack on Jenin in West Bank    Why do athletes earn such high incomes?    Ukrainian soldiers on Donetsk frontlines call for more weapons    Flights canceled for refugees who were slated to travel to US    1.4 billion people traveled internationally in 2024 as tourism returns to pre-pandemic highs    Julian Quinones' brace secures Al Qadsiah's 2-0 win over Al Orobah    Al Ittihad defeats Al Shabab 2-1 to stay in title race with Al Hilal    Tina Turner's lost Private Dancer song rediscovered    Comeback queens, blockbusters and Succession stars: The Oscar nominations previewed    Thousands evacuated as new fast-growing fire ignites near Los Angeles    Dangerous drug-resistant bacteria are spreading in Ukraine    France issues health warning as tons 'aphrodisiac honey' seized    Al Hilal solidifies Saudi Pro League lead with a 4-1 victory over Al Wahda    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Griezmann's double gives France 2-0 win over Germany in semi
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 08 - 07 - 2016

Antoine Griezmann scored twice as France beat world champion Germany 2-0 on Thursday to line up a European Championship final against Portugal.
Griezmann put France in front from the penalty spot in stoppage time at the end of the first half and then took full advantage of a German defensive blunder to score his second with a calm finish in the 72nd minute.
France reached its first final for a decade and is chasing its first major trophy since Euro 2000. Germany missed its chance to add the European title to the World Cup it won in 2014.
Griezmann has now scored six goals at Euro 2016 - twice as many as any other player at the tournament - and could have completed a hat trick on a break in the 86th but shot straight at goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
"We're very happy," Griezmann said. "We have to keep our feet on the ground. We still have a match to go."
Germany had gone 50 years unbeaten against host nations at major tournaments, dating back to its loss to England in the 1966 World Cup final and encompassing a famous 7-1 humbling of Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semifinals.
While a repeat of the Brazil rout was never on the cards, Germany could have scored more than once as it dominated the first half. But it was denied by poor shooting from Thomas Mueller, who ended his tournament scoreless, and a save by Hugo Lloris to block Emre Can's bouncing shot.
France took the lead from the penalty spot after Bastian Schweinsteiger handled the ball in an aerial challenge with Patrice Evra.
Griezmann stepped up to score, striking the penalty hard to Neuer's right.
"I really wanted to take a penalty in a big match like that. I was very composed, I didn't think twice and ultimately found the back of the net," Griezmann said.
It was the second time in as many games that Germany had given away a spot-kick for handball. Jerome Boateng blocked the ball with an arm above his head in the quarterfinal against Italy.
Trailing in a match for the first time in the tournament, Germany could not recover its previous dominance after halftime. It then had to cope with losing key defender Boateng, who picked up an ankle injury after an hour.
The German defense had not conceded from open play all tournament, but it fell apart for Griezmann's second goal in the 72nd minute. A sluggish pass by Benedikt Hoewedes to right back Joshua Kimmich was cut out by Paul Pogba and Neuer could only palm away the midfielder's cross to Griezmann, who finished with ease.
Germany responded well and could have pulled one back when Kimmich hit the post, before Julian Draxler sent a free-kick narrowly wide and Hoewedes headed over.
"We had chances to come back," Neuer said. "We played a good European Championship and it's very bitter to go out."
France, while not always reassuring in defense, came through victorious in its first game of the tournament against genuinely top-class opposition.
There had been questions over the French back line after conceding twice against Iceland in the quarterfinals, but coach Didier Deschamps opted to leave his team unchanged. Inexperienced center-back Samuel Umtiti kept his place in the team despite Adil Rami's return from suspension.
Umtiti rewarded Deschamps with a commanding performance, including stopping a likely goal in the 32nd when he dispossessed Mueller as the German forward shaped to shoot in front of goal.
With their team 2-0 ahead, French fans made the "Marseillaise" ring around the Marseille stadium as some German fans began to head for the exits.
After the final whistle, France's jubilant players celebrated with the fans by performing the "Huh" chant made famous at the tournament by Iceland.


Clic here to read the story from its source.