Antoine Griezmann takes France into EURO final

Antoine Griezmann's brace booked France a place in the Euro 2016 final after Germany were beaten 2-0 in Marseille on Thursday night.

The Atletico Madrid striker opened the scoring from the spot then pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area to ensure his side will compete in Sunday's showpiece at the Stade de France.

France will face Portugal in the final after Fernando Santos' men beat Wales 2-0 on Wednesday in Lyon, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani on the scoresheet in a comfortable win.

World champions Germany were not at their best and missed a string of fine chances, with striker Mario Gomez badly missed after being ruled out of the game through suspension.

Thomas Muller was asked to fill in for Gomez but the Bayern Munich star's poor tournament continued and his touch deserted him on the grand stage. 

While Muller has been exceptionally prolific at the two World Cups he has been to with Germany, he has never scored a goal in European Championship finals, a strange statistic for such a wildly talented player.

Penalty doubts

France started the match on top and Griezmann forced Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer into a good save down low to his left, but the tide soon turned and the world champions dominated the rest of the half.

But with Muller out of sorts they lacked a cutting edge in the box and for all their possession around the France penalty area, they struggled to work goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, with new Barcelona signing Samuel Umtiti again excellent in the back line on only his second cap.

The key moment in the game came right at the end of the first half, when Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger competed with Patrice Evra for a ball in the box.

Schweinsteiger's arm was raised but the ball seemed to strike Evra first, bouncing on to Schweinsteiger's hand, with the referee awarding a penalty despite German protests.

Griezmann had missed a penalty in the Champions League final just a few weeks ago, with Atletico Madrid losing to city rivals Real as a result, but he showed terrific nerve and composure to beat Neuer from the spot and put his side into an undeserved lead.

Pogba magic

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with Germany monopolising possession but unable to force Lloris into a lot of action, one fine save the most the Tottenham stopper had to do.

With Germany committing more men forward, gaps were inevitable at the back and a mix-up involving Joshua Kimmich gifted Pogba possession of the ball in the penalty area.

Pogba has had a mixed Euro 2016, with flashes of brilliance mixed with signs of immaturity, but the calmness he showed under pressure was an indicated of why Juventus are demanding a new world record fee to sell him this summer.

The midfielder teased Kimmich and then beat him easily, standing up a cross that Neuer could only palm to the ground, where Griezmann was lurking to turn in his second goal of the game.

Griezmann now has six goals at Euro 2016 - only France football legend Michel Platini has ever scored more times at a European Championship - and the stage is set for the hosts to create history in Paris on Sunday evening.