The hosts France flexed their muscle at the Stade de France on Monday morning, running out convincing 5-2 winners against Iceland, with Germany awaiting them in the semi-final.
Les Bleus were in front in the contest within 12 minutes, as Olivier Giroud netted his first of the game, making an excellent run in behind the Iceland defence, getting on the end of Blaise Matuidi’s ball.
The lead was doubled soon after as Iceland were undone by a corner in a rare set-piece lapse, with Paul Pogba heading home.
Goals to the form players Dimitri Payet and Antoine Griezmann at the end of the first half put the result well beyond doubt, with the score 4-0 at half time.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Iceland were much better in the second half however, and hit the scoresheet through both Kolbeinn Sigthorsson and Birkir Bjarnason, showing their fighting spirit despite ultimately being outclassed.
Giroud completed his double before substituted soon after, putting an exclamation mark on an impressive performance by France.
The contest was an open one, bucking the trend of the tournament as a whole.
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