After weathering an early storm, France have taken a two-goal victory in the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup over Croatia in Moscow.
France were right up against it during the early going of the contest, finding themselves almost permanently on the back foot with Croatia attacking.
The Croatians were unable to find an early goal though with Les Blues scoring against the run of play. A free kick from just outside the penalty area was first touched by Raphael Varane before going onto the scoresheet as an own goal against Mario Mandzukic.
Croatia continued their attacking ways, knowing they had to equalise and eventually did. A ball was fired into the box, deflected out and Ivan Perisic then hit a wonderful goal from the edge of the penalty area.
Controversy would follow at the back end of the first half when the VAR became involved in a World Cup final for the first time, picking up a Croatian handball.
Antoine Griezmann steped up to ice the penalty, allowing France to take a 2-1 lead into the halftime break despite being outplayed for most of the first half.
An early substitution in the first half for France seemed to bring them right back into the game though with N’Golo Kante taken off.
The French seemed like a different team afterwards, with Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe running in goals just six minutes apart to send France up 4-1.
The lead allowed them to enjoy the last half hour of the game with the contest virtually over, although a mistake from Hugo Lloris kept the light switched on at the end of the tunnel for Croatia, with Mario Mandzukic scoring on the back of it.
The 69th minute proved to be a consolation goal though with France stacking their defence and seeing out the final 20 minues of the game in solid fashion.
For France, it’s their second World Cup win following a victory in 1998.
France 4
Croatia 2
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