French delight send Red Devils packing

Samuel Umtiti headed France into the World Cup final in Saint Petersburg yesterday with a 1-0 win, consigning Belgium’s ‘golden generation’ to another bitter disappointment.

France’s own supremely talented young squad will aim to make amends for defeat on home soil in the final of Euro 2016 in Sunday’s showpiece against England or Croatia.

In a World Cup replete with set-piece goals, a corner again proved decisive when Umtiti timed his run perfectly to meet Antoine Griezmann’s delivery six minutes into the second half.

France were thankful for fine saves from goalkeeper Hugo Lloris either side of half-time. Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne warned Kylian Mbappe was ready to take the world by storm on the eve of the game and the most expensive teenager in the history of football showed why inside the first 60 seconds.