The holder is tenacious! France mastered Poland (3-1) thanks to Olivier Giroud and a sumptuous double from Kylian Mbappé, Sunday in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup, inviting themselves to the quarters where the Blues will challenge England or Senegal, opposed for a unprecedented duel (8 p.m.).
Upholding her rank as world champion against a ghostly Robert Lewandowski, despite a penalty scored to save honor (90e +9), the France team dominated its opponent at the al-Thumama stadium.
She concretized her domination with a record goal from Olivier Giroud (44e), new top scorer in the history of the Blues (52 goals), then two light strikes from Mbappé (74e90e +1), the only top scorer in the tournament (5 goals).
Given the recent history of the French, eliminated in the eighth of the Euro in 2021, mistreated in the League of Nations then deprived of several holders like Karim Benzema or Paul Pogba, this qualification for the quarterfinals is a relief, as much as an invitation to continue the adventure in Qatar.
It will be against England vice-champion of Europe or against Senegal champion of Africa, next Saturday at the al-Bayt stadium (8:00 p.m.). And given the resources displayed against the Poles, admittedly blunted by a grueling first round, the Blues can nurture great ambitions: what if they were the first post-war selection to stay on top of the world since the Brazil of Pelé, in 1962?
Giroud and Lloris in history
Forgetting the misstep without consequence suffered Wednesday against Tunisia (1-0), the players of Didier Deschamps have this time mastered their subject, well helped by their goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
The French captain, who on Sunday became the co-holder of the French team selection record (142) with Lilian Thuram, intervened at the end of the first period when things could have gone wrong. He stopped a point-blank shot from Piotr Zielinski with his knee, before being saved by Theo Hernandez, then Raphaël Varane on his line (38e).
And as it was the evening of the record holders, Olivier Giroud also entered the great history book of the Blues: emerging on a small ball from Kylian Mbappé behind the defense, the center forward scored a crossfire (44e) sound 52e goal with France, seizing alone the record he co-held with Thierry Henry (51 goals).
Mbappé immediately came to hug him to congratulate him. And on the second goal, it was Giroud who initiated the action of a splendid control in the center of the field before launching Dembélé, passer for the clear shot of “Kyky” (74e).
Returned splendid but invalidated
Unaffected by the pressure, the Paris SG superstar cured his statistics with a second goal in the other corner (90e +1), his 33rd in Blue and, already, his ninth in two World Cups!
Here is Mbappé firmly installed at the top of the scorers of the World Cup-2022, in front of an audience of attackers including Giroud (3 goals), who could even have come closer if his splendid acrobatic return had not been invalidated for an unclear prior fault ( 57e).
The Blues will be satisfied with it and will be able to benefit from a few well-deserved days of rest before approaching the quarters.
Against who ? English and Senegalese face each other in the evening (8:00 p.m.) in al-Khor, about fifty kilometers north of Doha, and it is difficult to say who will win between these two selections which have never faced each other.
With its firepower (9 goals scored), Harry Kane’s England is the favorite against the “Lions”.
But beware of the Senegalese uninhibited by their victories over Qatar (3-1) and Ecuador (2-1) when they had missed their start to the tournament, beaten by the Netherlands (2-0).
Finalist of the last Euro played at home, the English have reason to be wary of the reigning African champions, who seem to have digested the absence of their leader Sadio Mané due to injury.
The coronation of Aliou Cissé’s team at the African Cup of Nations, at the start of 2022, and its qualification for the World Cup play-off against Egypt (0-1, 1-0, 3 tab to 1) have in all case proved one thing: Senegal is formidable in double or quits matches.
In addition, the Brazilian coach Tite expressed his “affection” to Pelé, football legend, hospitalized since Tuesday in Sao Paulo because of a respiratory infection.
“Hi Pele! The affection I can give you is transmitted by all of us,” the Seleçao boss said on the eve of the round of 16 against South Korea, for the only player to have won three World Cups.
Pelé (82) was admitted to Albert-Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo on Tuesday for a reassessment of his colon cancer treatment and was treated for a respiratory infection. His condition is “stable”, his doctors announced on Saturday, and “O Rei” said on his Instagram account that he felt “strong, and full of hope”.