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Mandatory Credit: FPF

France coach Didier Deschamps congratulated his side effort as the French team defeated Nations League holders Portugal (1-0) to reach the Final four of the competition in Lisbon on Saturday.

"Having a match performance like this tonight shows the quality of the French team, our ability to step up in important games with a lot of command against such an opponent, as I said I am extremely proud," Deschamps stated at the post-match presser.

N'Golo Kante's second-half goal ensured that the World champions France will top Group A3 with 13 points from five games, three ahead of Portugal who can no longer catch them.

France and Portugal will face each other again in next summer Euro 2020 group stage having been drawn in Group F alongside Germany and Hungary but the French coach dismissed any complacencies.

"We don't have the upper hand. This was only tonight's truth we will see each other again in June many things can happen until then," Deschamps warned.

The Nations League Finals will go ahead on October 2021.

*SOUNDBITES*

SOT, Didier Deschamps, France coach (French): "Having a match performance like this tonight shows the quality of the French team, our ability to step up in important games with a lot of command against such an opponent, as I said I am extremely proud."

SOT, Didier Deschamps, France coach (French): "We achieved our goal to finish first ahead of Portugal. In June, as we know it will be more or less the same forces on both sides. We have this game as a reference but it will be a different story and I hope with the same scenario. We don't have any certainties. The first game had fewer changes, but this tie had more especially us in the first half. But we don't have the upper hand. This was only tonight's truth we will see each other again in June many things can happen until then."

SOT, Fernando Santos, Portugal coach (Portuguese): "We deal badly, very badly. I deal badly with the defeat, the players deal badly. Tonight we will hardly sleep, but even without sleep tomorrow, we need to think that we have another game on Tuesday where we have responsibility. We have to take that responsibility. The Portuguese people used to always give good responses, to play good games, to win, fortunately to win many games. I think this is the fourth defeat since I arrived, and so we have to raise our heads now. Obviously tomorrow we'll still be a little bit beaten but then we have to accept the defeat and get to the game against Croatia, which is another great team, to get there and do well, to do what is usual in the Portuguese team."

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