The tenth FIFA Futsal World Cup is running in Uzbekistan until Sunday.
Ukraine reached their first World Cup semi-final since 1996 as they beat Venezuela 9-4 with a Danyil Abakshyn hat-trick. That set up a Wednesday tie with Brazil, who knocked out Morocco.
France had never played a major knockout game before this tournament but after beating Thailand 5-2 in the round of 16 edged Paraguay 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
On Thursday, France meet Argentina, who after defeating Croatia in the last 16 won their quarter-final against Kazakhstan, the team that eliminated reigning world and European champions Portugal with a last-gasp goal. Higuita won his 100th Kazakhstan cap in the quarter-final loss.
For the third time in the four editions since the expansion to 24 teams, all seven European contenders advanced from the group stage. UEFA nations also maintained their record of always taking up at least three of the final-eight slots.
Source: UEFA
