Olivier Giroud had not recorded any shots on goal in 2018, when France were crowned world champions. Four years later, it is largely thanks to him that the Blues find themselves in the semi-finals. They eliminated England 2-1 in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Qatar.
Like a grand cru, we let it age. And now the 36-year-old striker comes to tickle our taste buds by storming the 2022 World Cup.
It’s his headed goal, in the 77e, which made the difference for the 2-1 against England in great form, moreover. It was his fourth in this tournament, virtually all game-breaking goals.
France had been dominated in the second period. The English, carried by the luminous Bukayo Saka, found more and more breaches in the more or less solid French ramparts.
Then, a small flash of genius from Antoine Griezmann, a luxury supporting actor in this France team. After a corner, on the sideline, Grizou sends a long ball towards the net. Giroud wins over Harry Maguire, and the ball deflects onto the latter’s shoulder.
His reaction said it all. Because to win in a duel between two teams of such great talent is to confirm more and more what has been in doubt for several days already: France seems to be on the way to glory for a second World Cup. consecutive.
“I am too proud, launched Olivier Giroud. Tonight, we released a very big game. We knew the potential of this young English generation. They have everything. We have been very generous. We went looking for it in the mind. »
“We really met a very good team from England, said Didier Deschamps, the French coach. By what she is able to do athletically and technically. We answered. It’s wonderful to still be able to reach the last four. We want to suspend time a bit. »
The English Curse
But the story could very easily have been very different. And Harry Kane is probably going to have nightmares about it.
PHOTO JEWEL SAMAD, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Harry Kane
Trailing 1-0, England emerged from the locker room with a knife between their teeth, determined to erase more than half a century of disappointment and trauma.
And the result came quickly. At the 52e, Saka gets a penalty on a foul by Aurélien Tchouaméni. Kane shows up. In front of him, his longtime teammate at Tottenham, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. But no problem: he scores, and it’s 1-1 in the 54the.
He thus became the joint holder, with Wayne Rooney, of the first rank of scorers in the English men’s selection, with 53 nets.
And he could well have beaten him to it. Minutes after Giroud gave France the lead, England were awarded another penalty. Théo Hernandez very obviously pushed Mason Mount into the box, and it’s even a surprise that we had to refer to the video replay to confirm it.
Kane shows up at the penalty spot again. In front of him, again this Lloris, of course. The Frenchman has been with Tottenham since 2012. Kane has been with the senior team since 2013. Can you estimate how many shots the two have taken against each other in training? Hint: a lot.
It’s the 84e minute. It’s 2-1 France. With the hopes of a nation on his shoulders, Kane… sends the ball into the stands, over the crossbar.
“We know how many penalties Harry has scored for us, put Jordan Henderson into perspective. He scored first. And how many goals has he scored to even get us here? He will come back stronger in the long run, I’m sure. He is a world class scorer. Our captain. We wouldn’t be here without him. »
The curse continues. Remember that England has not won an international title since its world title in 1966. This team, young, dashing, beautiful, courageous, but perhaps still complexed, will have to wait a while longer.
“We are the ones who give them the ammunition with these two penalties, agreed Deschamps. But it is with heart and guts that we held this small goal in advance. »
Tchouameni, why not?
Our apologies to Aurélien Tchouaméni, author of the sublime shot that opened the scoring in the 17the. The eventful second half of this clash of titans relegated his flamboyant goal to the third segment of this report. So let’s give him a few good words.
PHOTO FRANK AUGSTEIN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Aurelien Tchouameni
Once again, it was Griezmann who served him. A small pass just at the edge of the last third. The young Real Madrid midfielder received the ball in the middle. And cocked his strike with the right foot. The ball took a low, but direct trajectory. And went to lodge in the left corner of the net, behind a full-length Jordan Pickford.
“I had the same action against Poland, recalled Tchouaméni. It was a pretty good strike, but this one was even sharper. I often work on this with the coach [Carlo] Ancelotti in Madrid. »
A goal against the run of play – England dominated the momentum for the majority of this match, by the way – but demonstrating the full extent of French talent.
In this match, we were also salivating at the thought of a clash between Kylian Mbappé and Kyle Walker in the left lane. Walker was beaten on one of the beautiful races of the jewel of France in the 56ebut otherwise, Mbappé was on the whole discreet.
He will have the opportunity to bring out the big game against Morocco in the semi-finals. And France will need it: the Moroccans have not allowed any goal, except one against his side against Canada, since last spring.
“It’s going to be a tough match from start to finish,” said Tchouaméni. We try to stay calm because nothing is done, we haven’t won anything yet. »