Mats Hummels headed the winner as Germany beat old rivals France 1-0
to advance to the World Cup semi-finals for a record fourth straight
time on Friday. Borussia Dortmund defender Hummels rose to head home
Toni Kroos's free-kick on 13 minutes to settle a cagey encounter at Rio
de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium.
Joachim Löw's side will now play the winner of Friday's second
quarter-final between Brazil or Colombia in next Tuesday's semi-final in
Belo Horizonte.
France had entered the match quietly confident of avenging semi-final
defeats against Germany in 1982 and 1986. But they were left to rue a
lacklustre first half performance which saw Germany dominate in
sweltering conditions.
France rallied in the second half and Hummels saved Germany with a
desperate late block of a Karim Benzema shot shortly before Manuel Neuer
parried a firm strike from Blaise Matuidi.
André Schürrle should have sealed victory in the closing minutes, but
with the goal gaping, struck his shot from Mesut Özil's low cross
directly at Hugo Lloris in the French goal.
There was still time for Neuer to save Germany at the death, pulling
off a brilliant block from Benzema just seconds from the final whistle.
Source : dfb.de