France striker Olivier Giroud has apologised to Chelsea teammate Thibaut Courtois for choosing fellow countryman Hugo Lloris as the best goalkeeper at Russia. Chelsea forward Giroud and Belgium goalkeeper Courtois go head-to-head in the first semi-final in St Petersburg tonight.

It is an eagerly-awaited showdown between two neighbouring countries, who have both shown glimpses of why they arrived in Russia as genuine heavyweights. Giroud did his best not to stoke the flames, but said he thought Tottenham's Lloris was the better goalkeeper. "Thibaut has an impressive wingspan. It's hard to beat him on the sides. He can stop balls in any area," Giroud said.