Pogba broke the deadlock in the 79th minute, nodding into an empty
net after Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, who plays for French club
Lille, failed to collect a corner.
It was a cruel moment for Enyeama, but rewarded a barrage of French
pressure sparked by the introduction of Antoine Griezmann, who forced
Yobo to put through his own goal in injury time.
Didier Deschamps's France will now await the winners of Monday's
other last-16 tie between Germany and Algeria, who they will meet at the
Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on July 4.
African champions Nigeria, meanwhile, must wait to sample the last
eight at a World Cup, following defeat in their first knockout-phase
match at the tournament since the 1998 competition in France.
Stephen Keshi's side nonetheless departed to the sound of warm
applause from the fans crammed into the cavernous Mane Garrincha
National Stadium, who allied themselves with Nigeria's cause from the
off.
While France, who showed six changes, started purposefully, their
final ball frequently let them down, which handed Nigeria opportunities
to use their pace on the counter-attack.
Emmanuel Emenike thought he had put Nigeria ahead in the 19th minute
when he deftly prodded in an in-swinging cross from Ahmed Musa, but the
offside flag allowed French heart rates to return to normal.
France looked more threatening when they were able to bring the recalled Mathieu Valbuena into the game.
When the Marseille midfielder teed up Pogba for a vicious volley
mid-way through the first half, it took a stunning reflex save from
Enyeama to keep the game scoreless.
—Onazi stretchered off—
Another intelligent pass from Valbuena then gave Mathieu Debuchy a
sight of goal, but the Newcastle United right-back drilled wide.
Late in the first half Emenike took aim from range, but Hugo Lloris was able to parry.
Nigeria suffered a blow early in the second period when Lazio
midfielder Ogenyi Onazi had to be stretchered off after an ugly,
ankle-high challenge by Blaise Matuidi, who escaped with only a caution.
Faced with growing Nigeria pressure, Deschamps introduced Griezmann
in place of Olivier Giroud with half an hour to play and the move
quickly paid immediate dividends.
After Lloris had saved from Peter Odemwingie, a one-two between Karim
Benzema and Griezmann set the Real Madrid man clear, but although he
squeezed the ball past Enyeama, Victor Moses was on hand to hook clear.
It was to prove a temporary reprieve.
Yohan Cabaye, back from suspension, saw a 20-yard half-volley crash
back off the bar before Enyeama had to produce a finger-tip save to
touch a Benzema header over the bar.
It was the second fine stop of the match from the 31-year-old, but
seconds later his failure to claim Valbuena's left-wing corner allowed
Juventus midfielder Pogba to head in at the back post.
Enyeama then palmed a shot from Griezmann over the bar, but France
made it 2-0 at the death when Yobo, under pressure from Griezmann,
inadvertently steered Valbuena's drilled cross into his own net.
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