'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#2 Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane form a rock-solid pair
While the final result may have gone France's way, Peru weren't short in terms of attacking threat. They started both halves menacingly and created their own set of chances. Alas, to their dismay, France's centre-back pairing of Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane just proved to be too solid for their liking.
Barcelona's Umtiti and Madrid's Varane may play for arch-rivals at the club level, but on international duty, the duo links up better than most and last night was no different.
The duo also accrued a total of 64 passes and 94 touches on the ball and warded off as many as 8 aerial threats while also registering 3 crucial tackles.
Umtiti and Varane, aged 24 and 25 respectively, are not the most experienced defenders in the tournament, but if they continue to be as solid as they have so far, France's defence could well be impregnable for almost the next decade.
