Griezmann inspires France past punchless Uruguay in World Cup quarter-final

Soccer Football - World Cup - Quarter Final - Uruguay vs France - Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia - July 6, 2018 France's Antoine Griezmann with coach Didier Deschamps after being substituted REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia (Reuters) - Raphael Varane's glancing header and a goalkeeping blunder that gifted Antoine Griezmann a soft goal gave France a 2-0 victory over Uruguay in the first World Cup quarter-final on Friday and set them up for a last-four tie with either Brazil or Belgium.

Uruguay went into the game without key striker Edinson Cavani, who was ruled out with a calf injury, with Cristhian Stuani drafted into the starting line-up.