French striker Kylian Mbappe (#10) competes for the ball with England defender Kyle Walker during the World Cup quarter-final match between England and France at Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar on December 10, 2022.
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French striker Kylian Mbappe (#10) competes for the ball with England defender Kyle Walker during the World Cup quarter-final match between England and France at Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar on December 10, 2022.
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France is coming back World Cup semi-finals in the competitive tournaments after a thrilling and tense 2-1 quarter-final victory over England.
It was a battle of giants. Both teams reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup in Russia four years ago. France are the defending champions and have shone in Qatar after a host of stars including Kylian Mbappé, who leads the league with five goals (he’s been largely silent in this competition).
France was the first team to score. In the 17th minute, Antoine Griezmann (playing 72nd game in a row) passed to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who passed a blistering strike remote outside the box to silence England 1-0.
England’s super striker and captain Harry Kane leveled the score at 1-1 in the 54th minute with a successful free-kick. It was his 53rd goal for England – joining Wayne Rooney as the all-time leading scorer for their country.
France striker Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring his team’s second goal in the World Cup quarter-final against England.
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France striker Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring his team’s second goal in the World Cup quarter-final against England.
Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images
France came back in the 78th minute. Griezmann sent another pass into the box and Olivier Giroud spike up to deliver a title out of the outstretched arms of the English goalkeeper. The goal added to Giroud’s all-time scoring record for France.
In the 84th minute, England missed a golden opportunity to equalize. Harry Kane prepares for the second penalty of the game – but this time he shoots the ball over the bar.
He controlled the ball for the whole game. They have more passes, more crosses and twice as many shots. But it doesn’t matter for France. No defending world champion has made it past the quarterfinals this century to this day.
The road to France will not be easier. The French play Morocco in Wednesday’s semi-final. Morocco defeated European rivals in this tournament and was the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.
England’s Harry Kane reacts after missing a penalty against France’s Hugo Lloris during the World Cup quarter-final between England and France.
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England’s Harry Kane reacts after missing a penalty against France’s Hugo Lloris during the World Cup quarter-final between England and France.
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