Luis Suarez is out as France made it through to the semi-finals of the World Cup following a 2-0 victory over Uruguay. Defender Raphael Varane headed home Antoine Griezmann's cross to open the scoring after 41 minutes. France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made an outstanding one-handed save to deny Martin Caceres before break. Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera fumbled swerving long-range Griezmann shot into the net.
Antoine Griezmann may like to sip yerba mate and hang out grilling meat with his Uruguayan chums but his loyalties were not in question as a goal and an assist fired France into the last four of the World Cup.
Griezmann's quandary had been one of the pre-match narratives since he once confessed to a deep affection for Uruguay reinforced by his close friendship with Atletico Madrid teammates Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez.
Godin is godfather to his daughter but there was no room for sentiment in Nizhny Novgorod.
Griezmann created the opener for Rafael Varane just before half-time and killed the Uruguayan fight when he scored the second from distance with the considerable help of a goalkeeping howler from Fernando Muslera.
The two teams line up for the national anthems in front of a capacity crowd at the impressive Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
France who move onto a semi-final in Saint Petersburg.
Raphael Varane scored to give France the lead late in the first-half in their World Cup quarter-final clash with Uruguay
Raphael Varane jumps for joy after scoring the 40th-minute goal that handed France the lead in Nizhny Novgorod
Varane stole a march on the Uruguay defenders to dispatch Antoine Griezmann's right-sided cross into the back of the net
The perfectly-placed header was the third goal Varane has scored for the France national team and came at a perfect time
Varane celebrates with team-mates Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe after opening the scorin
g for France in the quarter-final
g for France in the quarter-final
Olivier Giroud celebrates with Varane while Griezmann grabs a drink after France take the lead in Nizhny Novgorod
The Uruguay defenders react with dismay after France take the lead five minutes before the end of the first-half
Griezmann created the opener for Raphael Varane five minutes before half time and settled this quarter final by firing in the second from distance with the help of a goalkeeping howler by Fernando Muslera.
As France move on to St Petersburg, Uruguay head for home with veteran manager Oscar Tabarez talking riddles about his own future but surely planning to enjoy a deserved rest from the rigours of the touchline.
'I have a contract but I am not going to speak about it,' said the 71-year-old. 'It is not for me to decide, I'd be acting against my principles. We always dream and we dream on. This defines our country, things never end.
'We must look to the future. When I speak about dreams it doesn't mean I expect to be there. It has been a huge honour to be national team coach, that is nothing more beautiful or satisfying than that.'
Uruguay won their first four games in Russia but
were simply not the same attacking force without Edinson Cavani and rarely threatened France from open play.
Cavani injured a calf muscle having scored twice against Portugal on Sunday and, after days of cloak and dagger around his fitness, he was not even on the bench.
Without him, Uruguay's self belief was damaged and with it their famous fighting spirit.
Luis Suarez bustled around, barging into people and trying disturb the rhythms of the game but this task was beyond them and they knew it.
Gimenez was sobbing on the pitch even before fourth official had held up the board to declare five minutes of stoppage time.
Uruguay (4-3-1-2): Muslera 5; Caceres 6.5, Gimenez 6.5, Godin 6, Laxalt 6; Nandez 5 (Urretaviscaya 73, 5), Torreira 6, Vecino 6; Bentancur 6 (Rodriguez 59, 5); Suarez 6, Stuani 6 (Gomez 59, 5)
Subs not used: Campana, M. Silva; Varela, Sanchez, De Arrascaeta, G. Silva, Pereira, Coates
Booked: Bentancur, Rodriguez
Manager: Oscar Tabarez 6
France (4-2-3-1): Lloris 7; Pavard 6.5, Varane 7, Umtiti 6.5, Hernandez 6; Kante 7, Pogba 6.5; Mbappe 6 (Dembele 88), Griezmann 7.5 (Fekir 90), Tolisso 7 (Nzonzi 80); Giroud 6.
Subs not used: Mandanda, Areola; Kimpembe, Lemar, Rami, Sidibe, Thauvin, Mendy
Goals: Varane 40; Griezmann 61
Booked: Hernandez, Mbappe
Manager: Didier Deschamps 7
Referee: Nestor Pitana (Argentina) 6
Attendance: 43,319
France playmaker Griezmann lines up the swerving shot from distance that Fernando Muslera spilled into his net
Uruguay goalkeeper Muslera looks on in horror after he fumbles Griezmann's viciously swerving shot into his own net
The long range strike by Griezmann proved too hot for Muslera to handle as he pushed the ball into the back of his own goal
By the time Muslera had turned around to attempt to recover the calamity, it was too late with the ball over the goalline
France celebrates Griezmann's second goal on 61 minutes, which put them firmly in control of the quarter-final showdown
It was an horrendous moment for Muslera, who reacts with dismay after conceding a soft second goal in the quarter-final
Cristhian Stuani, who replaced for Cavani, made a bright opening but France took control and deserved their place in the last four.
There was none of the flamboyance on display against Argentina but they proved able to grind out an ugly win when they needed to.
Games are rarely fluent involving Uruguay, specialists in wind-up artistry, making it tense and fractious with plenty of niggle and late contact.
Kylian Mbappe was unsettled and sparked a mass confrontation when the teenager overreacted to a crafty nudge from Cristian Rodriguez.
It was 2-0 at the time and Nahitan Nandez had already shoved an elbow into Corentin Tolisso's ear and Lucas Torreira dropped studs over the ball on Benjamin Pavard.
Hugo Lloris made a superb one-handed save to deny Martin Caceres and preserve France's one-goal lead going into half-time
Diego Godin fires the follow-up over the bar after Lloris had denied Caceres with the initial effort on Friday afternoon
The France goalkeeper dives out to punch the ball clear as Uruguay striker Cristhian Stuani reaches for it inside the box
France supporters chair-up their national team
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