NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia, July 6 -- Raphael Varane and Antoine Griezmann struck either side of halftime as France earned a World Cup semifinal berth with a 2-0 victory over Uruguay here on Friday.

Varane sent a glancing header into the bottom corner after a Griezmann set piece before the Atletico Madrid forward saw his long-range 61st-minute strike slip through the hands of Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

France have now set up a semifinal clash against the winner of Friday's other quarterfinal between Brazil and Belgium.

It was Uruguay's first defeat of the tournament and marked only the second time out of seven that they have lost a World Cup quarterfinal.

The South American team were dealt a blow before the match when striker Edinson Cavani was left out of the side, having failed to recover from a calf injury. He was replaced in the starting eleven by Girona forward Cristhian Stuani.

France also made one enforced change to the team that beat Argentina 4-3 in the round of 16, with Bayern Munich's Corentin Tolisso replacing suspended Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi.

Uruguay pushed France onto the back foot early and Stuani shot across the face of goal after receiving the ball on the left.

France started to move the ball with more fluency. Olivier Giroud met Benjamin Pavard's cross from the right at the far post by nodding into the path of Kylian Mbappe, but the Paris Saint-Germain forward sent his looping header over the bar.

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