Germany 0-2 France (5)

Payet goes to ground under the challenge of Kroos in midfield as France huffed and puffed early on

Can of Liverpool tested Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris with a drive from the edge of the penalty area but the France No 1 saved

The Real Madrid midfielder went to ground after colliding with Pogba but he did not get the penalty kick he was looking for

Payet had a go at goal from a 30-yard free-kick but Les Bleus rarely got out of their own half after the opening 10 minutes of the first period

France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris also saved well from Emre Can and touched a Schweinsteiger effort over the bar. Moments later Muller and Kroos got in each other’s way as Joshua Kimmich advanced to cross.

If it wasn’t quite a procession, the traffic was certainly moving in only one direction. But if you give a team an excuse to stay in a game then they may occasionally say thank you and this was the way after the break as France proved more resistant to German thrusts.

Low’s team still dominated the play. Kroos’ pass statistics alone were astonishing. But in truth they lacked penetration as the game wore on and only in the latter stages did they create clear chances. By then they were two down and again it was a goal born of German misadventure.

Kimmich lost possession when trying to be clever in his own penalty area and when Pogba crossed nicely from the left Neuer could only palm the ball on to Griezmann’s boot.

It is never quite over with the Germans, of course, and they kept playing properly. There is something to admire in that. Kimmich hit the bar and drew a super save from Lloris, and Benedikt Howedes headed over.

This was not their night, though, and this is not their tournament. They are just like the rest of us, after all.