The defending champions are preparing to win the World Cup again. France’s footballers can rely on their attacking stars in the round of 16 against Poland. Olivier Giroud breaks a legendary striker’s record before Kylian Mbappé seals Robert Lewandowski’s end.
Thanks to superstar Kylian Mbappé, world champions France are on their way to successfully defending their title in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar. After the convincing, coolly downplayed 3:1 (1:0) against Poland at the end, coach Didier Deschamps’ team meets England or Senegal. In the duel of the top scorers, double packer Mbappé (74th and 90th 1) outperformed Robert Lewandowski (90th 9, hand penalty according to video evidence), before he had set a record goal for Olivier Giroud (44th). A wonderful Giroud hit with an overhead kick was not recognized in the 58th minute because Raphael Varane had previously propped himself up illegally in the air duel.
Like Lionel Messi, Mbappé has now scored nine World Cup goals, for France it is the third quarter-finals in a row at a World Cup – in 2014 the Équipe Tricolore failed in the round of eight to Germany. Poland, who reached the knockout stages for the first time in 36 years, kept up surprisingly well at times but lacked the individual class of the defending champions. Especially since this again started with the best cast.
As expected, Deschamps made nine rotations after the last group game against Tunisia (0-1) and sent his premium selection onto the field at Doha’s Al Thumama Stadium. So Hugo Lloris was back in goal, drawing level with record holder Lilian Thuram with his 142nd international match. However, the performance of the French captain was not convincing.
Unsurprisingly, the French wanted to pay special attention to Lewandowski. “You have to limit his influence on the game, he’s very clever, technically gifted and uses his body intelligently,” said Deschamps, warning: “One chance is enough for him.” The scorer didn’t get many. Lewandowski was very active, ran a lot – but also rubbed himself up.
Against the compact Poles, the French rarely brought speed into play via Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé on the right, at times they even let the outsider take the initiative. That almost went unnoticed if the Poles had a triple chance: Lloris and Theo Hernandez blocked two attempts by Piotr Zielinski, Raphael Varane cleared Jakub Kaminski’s shot on the line (38′).
In addition to Mbappé, who should make steam on the left side, the man in bright green was also in the spotlight: Wojciech Szczesny. Poland’s goalkeeper, who, among other things, enabled his team to reach the first round of 16 since the 1986 World Cup with two saved penalties, confidently defused the attempts of the French – but he was powerless when Giroud and Mbappé scored.
Giroud’s goal just before half-time came almost out of nowhere after the Poles’ courageous, but often too ill-considered performance. The center forward shot himself to the top of the French top scorers after a dream pass from Mbappé: With his 52nd goal in 117 international matches, the attacker pushed Thierry Henry into second place. It was Giroud’s third goal in Qatar. After the change of sides, France acted a little more confidently. But peace only returned after Mbappé’s first goal. Lewandowski scored in the last minute when the game was already decided – and only after a replay because Lloris had saved the first shot but also broke away from the goal line too early.