France crushes Iceland's fairy tale to book semi-final date with Germany
Iceland's storybook Euro 2016 run came to a grinding halt Sunday courtesy of host France and one of the tournament's most lopsided results.
With a tournament-record four opening-half goals, France drubbed the continental Cinderella 5-2 to advance to a semi-final clash with Germany.
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Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud opened the scoring in the 12th minute courtesy of a crafty long ball from Blaise Matuidi, and while the Scandinavian minnow hoped that was the extent of France's attacking impetus, their fledgling Euro dreams soon dissolved in a beatdown.
Paul Pogba doubled that advantage nine minutes later when the Juventus talisman towered to meet an Antoine Griezmann corner.
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The Icelandic fans in attendance didn't cease serenading their heroic players despite the scoreline, and those choruses were barely muffled by Dimitri Payet's 42nd-minute left-footed finish. Three-nil, game over.
Griezmann and Giroud were involved again, and after a dazzling first half, the Atletico Madrid attacker deserved a goal of his own. Griezmann didn't have to wait long, lobbing Hannes Halldorsson after Giroud's dummy opened up space for the four-goal standout.
Watch - Related: Griezmann's chip piles misery on Iceland, caps record-breaking half
Kolbeinn Sigthorsson added a consolation goal for Iceland before a leaping header gave Giroud his second goal of the day three minutes later. Birkir Bjarnason scored a second seven minutes from time to lessen the deficit.
On a yellow, stately Gunner Giroud was taken off moments later to a standing ovation - quite the change from the boos the former Montpellier stud received in a pre-tournament friendly with Romania.
While the glass slipper no longer fits, there's no shame in Iceland's efforts. Much has been made of the population of the tiny island state and its lack of football pedigree, but unlike continental heavyweights Belgium and England, Iceland was a sum of its parts which exceeded even the most audacious of expectations.
Iceland's ride home has arrived, however, and it's a pumpkin.