France thrash Iceland 5-2 to reach semis

There was almost a stunned disbelief around the Stade de France at the break as the host nation walked off with a 4-0 advantage, two of them coming in the closing minutes of the half.

Olivier Giroud's low strike and Paul Pogba's powerful header from a corner had settled early French nerves and put their side in control before the two quick goals.

Dimitri Payet scored his third goal of an increasingly memorable Euro 2016 for the West Ham playmaker with a precise low strike from 20 yards that skidded across the greasy surface before Antoine Griezmann deftly lifted the ball over Hannes Halldorsson.

After the restart Kolbeinn Sigthorsson stabbed home at the near post from Gylfi Sigurdsson's cross as Iceland refused to give in before France restored their four-goal advantage when Giroud headed in a free-kick.

But shortly after that goal Giroud and Laurent Koscielny - the two French players a booking away from a suspension - were withdrawn and there was more to cheer for the excellent Iceland fans when Birkir Bjarnason headed a second for his side in the final stages of what has been a memorable tournament debut for their team.