A goal by Olivier Giroud in the 78th minute gave France the pass to the semifinals of the World Cup in Qatar 2022 by beating England 1-2, who previously equalized the match on a penalty scored by Harry Kane in the 54th minute of the game, but it was his own captain who missed a second maximum penalty in the 84th minute that could have forced extra time.
France, defending champions who won Russia in 2018, will face Morocco next Wednesday for a spot in the World Cup final in Qatar.
France will face Morocco in the semifinals to seek their second consecutive final after another demonstration of realism by the champion, who without making a great game showed an iron will to cling to achieve what no one has achieved since the 1930s: repeat world title.
In the absence of Kylian Mbappé, blurred, he showed other arguments, without much football but effectively, although it left some gaps, since the defense did not show great soliditywhich for many minutes gave the English hope of victory.
Gareth Southgate’s men were always in tow, ever since Tchoaméni’s opening goal, but they were always hooked on the game. They handcuffed Mbappé, they had chances, but they lacked accuracy and they had plenty of Lloris.
Like two roosters looking into each other’s eyes, hovering around each other, stretching out their feathers to appear more handsome and dangerous, England and France jumped to seek their prize, the semifinals of a World Cup at the crossroads in which there could be fewer surprises, because anyone of the two has the pedigree to be.
Between the world champion and the European runner-up, respect is taken for granted. Even a bit of fear in the initial stretch is not surprising either.
The “bleus” launched the first skirmishes, with Mbappé and Dembelé as stilettos on the wings and Giorud as a trigger in the area. France’s all-time top scorer was about to extend his record with a header in a good combination between the three French strikers.
But it was five minutes later that Tchouaméni hit home with a shot from the edge that caught Pickford off guard and put the French ahead. It was the first goal in a World Cup for the madridista, who became the patron of the French midfield just over a year after donning the “bleu” for the first time.
Griezmann passer
The pass was given by Griezmann who thus became the best assistant in the history of France.
The initial respect faded away, England went to the front and France, comfortable with the scorehe allowed himself to be done, which forced Lloris to appear, on the night that he opened his record of international matches, which was reeling off a series of saves, some easy, others spectacular.
Pointed out as the weakest link in France, the Tottenham player responded forcefully with five great interventions.
The resistance fell in the 52nd, when Tchouaméni brought down Saka in the box. The penalty placed the two captains, teammates at Tottenham, friends off the field, face to face. The English transformed the maximum penalty to tie the contest and become the best gunner in the history of England along with Wayne Rooney.
The equalizer stung France, who went on the attack, first with a chance from Rabiot and then a foray from Mbappé. But it was wildfire, because the champion was diluted and was at the mercy of an England that on the back of Saka and with a great Kane sought the comeback.
Maguire had it in the 70th minute with a good header that licked the postand Theo saved the goal on one occasion from Saka two later.
But in the midst of English dominance Giroud emerged who met Pickford in minute 77 but could not stop the next French striker’s header after a great pass, again, from Griezmann.
The maelstrom took over the game and in the midst of the tension of the duel in 80 Theo Hernández brought down the recently admitted Mason Mount in the area, a penalty that the referee did not see but the VAR did.
Again Kane, with his sights set on history, one eye on his friend Lloris and the other on the record for goals with England, was in charge of launching it. But the attacker, the great captain of the English, this time he sent it over the crossbar of his comrade, who celebrated the miss.
He no longer had arrests for more England, who with little faith sought the tie, but did not achieve it. They will not play the semifinals for the second consecutive year, in which France continues to seek glory.
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