Sir Olivier Giroud: France’s old guard sends them into semifinals as England’s Kane misses late penalty
AL KHOR, December 11
Olivier Giroud sent France into a World Cup semifinal with Morocco as his late header after Aurelien Tchouameni’s opener clinched a gutsy 2-1 win over England on Saturday with Harry Kane blazing a penalty over the bar six minutes from time.
Four years ago Giroud did not manage a shot on target in the entire tournament as France won the title but in Qatar he now has four goals and has become his country’s record goalscorer along the way.
This goal tonight, the 53rd, is even better (than equalling Henry). Just before I had a chance that I should have hit harder and scored. I thought I might get another, and when it came to me it was an unbelievable feeling to score. —Olivier Giroud , France striker
France are now one win away from becoming the first back-to- back finalists since Brazil in 2002 and two from being the third team to retain the trophy after Brazil in 1962 and Italy in 1938.
Manager Didier Deschamps, who captained them to their first World Cup triumph in 1998 and coached them to their second title four years ago, described the victory as fabulous.
“It was a big game, we played a superb England team who are strong technically and physically,” he said “It’s brilliant for the players to be in the last four again. We got a bit lucky although we gave away two penalties but we kept our lead with our hearts and our guts.”
France really did have to work hard for their win as the first major tournament knockout match between the old sporting rivals maintained the excitement and edge-of the-seat drama that has made it such an extraordinary weekend.
Tchouameni’s thunderbolt
They went ahead after 17 minutes when, after a length-of-the-field break, Antoine Griezmann rolled the ball invitingly into the path of Tchouameni, whose 25-yard low shot flew just inside the post.
England eventually got going, pushing and probing, and France keeper Hugo Lloris was quick off his line to save at the feet of Kane and then parried another drive from England’s captain.
Lloris was in action again at the start of the second half, tipping a fierce Jude Bellingham shot over the bar as England came out full of purpose and energy.
The dangerous Bukayo Saka was then tripped by Tchouameni and Kane smashed the penalty high beyond his Tottenham Hotspur teammate Lloris to draw level with Wayne Rooney as England’s record scorer on 53 goals.
England, beaten semifinalists four years ago, were buoyed by the goal and were playing with huge confidence but although centre-back Harry Maguire brushed a post with a header they could not make their dominance count. — Reuters
1France are now one win away from becoming the first back-to-back finalists since Brazil in 2002 and two from being the third team to retain the trophy after Brazil in 1962 and Italy in 1938.
53Kane’s first penalty high beyond his Tottenham Hotspur teammate Lloris drew him level with Wayne Rooney as England’s record scorer on 53 goals.
28Griezmann went past Thierry Henry as his country’s top assist provider with 28 and became the first French player to provide two assists in a knockout round game of the World Cup since Dominique Rocheteau against Italy in 1986 (Round of 16).
1Kane became the first player to both score and miss a penalty in a World Cup match since Michal Bilek for Czechoslovakia against USA in 1990.
