France, the hosts of Euro 2016 were looking to keep their hopes of winning another major title on home soil alive.

Les Bleus captured the European crown in 1984, and the world cup in 1998 playing in front of their home fans, and a win in the quarter-finals would see them move a step closer to making it a hat-trick of championships.

France were facing surprise package Iceland, who have a population of just 330-thousand, but had taken the competition by storm, stunning England in the last 16. But the Icelanders run would come to a sudden halt at the Stade de France.

The hosts scoring four times in the opening half -- Olivier Giroud, Paul Pogba, Dmitri Payet finding the net, as did Antoine Griezmann who leads the tournament with four goals.

Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, who netted Iceland's winner against England, scored for the second game running in the 56th minute to close the gap, Birkir Bjarnason headed in on 84 minutes to make the score respectable.

But France prevail 5-2 thanks to a pair of goals from Olivier Giroud, as the hosts now play Germany for a place in the final.