Half-Time Report: Mats Hummels heads Germany into slender advantage

Mats Hummels has headed Germany into a 1-0 half-time lead over France in their World Cup quarter-final clash at the Maracana this evening.

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The build-up to the encounter was dominated by reports that many of the German camp had been suffering with flu.

However, there were no signs of fatigue early on and Joachim Low's side put to bed any rumours of malaise when Hummels nodded them ahead on 13 minutes.

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The Borussia Dortmund defender, recalled to the starting lineup in place of Per Mertesacker, vindicated Low by out-muscling Raphael Varane to glance a Toni Kroos free kick past Hugo Lloris.

Les Bleus slowly grew into the game and created their best chance to restore parity on the 33-minute mark.

Antoine Griezmann ran beyond Germany's defence before finding the unmarked Mathieu Valbuena, whose angled first-time shot was saved by Manuel Neuer and Karim Benzema was unable to convert the rebound.

Benzema may have done better later on after latching on to Paul Pogba's cross-field ball but, after evading a number of challenges, fired straight into the arms of Neuer in what proved the last action of the half.