France advanced to the quarterfinals at the World Cup for the first time since 2006 after defeating Nigeria 2-0 on Monday in the knockout stage of the tournament.

Here are some observations from the round of 16 match:

1. Vincent Enyeama Proves to be the Difference, Both Good and Bad for Nigeria

With less than 10 minutes left to play, it was clear who the man of the match was.

Nigerian keeper Vincent Enyeama had kept his team alive for the entire game in a rather toothless affair. His save on Paul Pogba's glorious volley in the 20th minute was a thing of beauty that cemented his place among the top shot stoppers of the tournament. And in the 70th minute, he made another solid stop on a Karim Benzema breakaway. Then in the 79th, he denied Karim Benzema's header to keep the score level.

But it was not meant to be for the keeper as he would be the scapegoat on the eventual winner. In the 80th minute, he ran off his line and swatted at a corner cross. He did not get enough of the ball and simply redirected it right to Pogba who headed it home to give France a 1-0 win.

2. Nigeria Lacked Mental Fortitude

The African nation represented the best chance for its continent to make a deep run, but failed to step up in its big moment.

Despite having a goal denied early in the game, the team looked like it could obtain a favorable result. But then came the turning point at the 60th minute. A foul by France's Blaise Matuidi on Ogenyi Onazi left the Nigerian out of the game and seemed to diminish his squad emotionally. After that, Nigeria essentially let France boss the remainder of the encounter.

Enyeama made save after save, but it became evident that at some point, he would break, and his team would shatter alongside with him. When the death blow came, it was a swift psychological blow for everyone. Nigeria essentially folded despite having about 10 minutes to play (and five of added time) and made one mistake after another. In fact, the corner kick that led to the second goal was the result a Nigerian defender kicking the ball out for a corner despite being right next to the end line and having the opportunity to settle for a throw in. To add insult to injury, Yobo provided the nail in the coffin by redirecting the ball into his own net off a Mathieu Valbuena cross.

3. France Remains Impressive

Despite dominating Group E, many questioned whether France was really as good as they looked as if the competition was simply too easy. France struggled against a stingy Ecuador side in a boring 0-0 draw, but the team had not put out its best lineup for the encounter so the result was far from surprising. But against a bold Nigerian team, it looked like France had met its match.

The opening minutes favored the African contingent which looked more lively and spirited. But the French still managed to find some solid scoring chances through the likes of Pogba and Mathieu Debuchy. As Nigeria slowed down, France seemed to speed up and the chances came more and more frequently; it seemed like a matter of time before the team would find the break through, and sure enough they did. The final goal was the icing on the cake for a hard-fought win that deservedly has France in the quarterfinals for the third time in the last five World Cups.

4. Mathieu Valbuena is a Star

Without Franck Ribery, Valbuena has become the focal point of France's attack, and he continued his fine tournament play on Monday. His passing is exquisite, and he seems to know exactly how to find every teammate. The second goal came off his cross from the edge of the penalty area. His stats may not be as impressive as those of other stars in this tournament, but he should definitely be recognized as one of the best players of this World Cup.