Defending champions France had been all the time favourites within the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, and it’s solely honest to say that they’ve actually lived as much as these expectations, having now reached the ultimate for a second consecutive time.
France started their World Cup marketing campaign with a 4-1 thumping of Australia, and so they adopted it up by beating Denmark 2-1, a win that secured their spot within the knockout levels.
Nevertheless, resting a number of key gamers within the conflict in opposition to Tunisia meant France went down of their ultimate group recreation, shedding 0-1.
Regardless of the defeat, Les Bleus ended as Group D toppers with six factors, and confronted Poland within the final 16, whom they beat 3-1.
The quarter-final in opposition to England was a carefully contested affair, with Aurélien Tchouaméni and Olivier Giroud that includes on the scoresheet, whereas Harry Kane scored by way of a penalty. Nevertheless, within the ultimate minutes of the competition, Kane did in actual fact miss out on scoring one other penalty, together with his efforts going over the cross-bar.
Didier Deschamps’ males would then land the knockout blow on the Moroccans within the semi-finals, ending their dream run to the final 4 within the course of to turn into the primary time since Brazil 20 years in the past to succeed in consecutive World Cup finals.
Right here’s a have a look at France’s outcomes on the FIFA World Cup to date, and summarising every recreation they’ve performed till now:
Group D
France 4-1 Australia
France 2-1 Denmark
Tunisia 1-0 France
Knockout stage
Spherical of 16: France 3-1 Poland
Quarter-finals: England 1-2 France
Semi-finals: France 2-0 Morocco
Group stage
France 4-1 Australia
France started their FIFA World Cup title defence in constructive vogue, beating Australia 4-1 of their group stage opener. This efficiency from France was as soon as once more a reminder of how threatening they are often in entrance of purpose, having been fallen behind 0-1 by as early because the ninth minute.
It was Craig Goodwin, the Socceroos’ left-winger, who gave them the lead within the ninth minute, however that lasted simply 18 minutes as Adrien Rabiot headed the ball previous Aussie goalkeeper Matt Ryan, amassing an help from Theo Hernandez.
Olivier Giroud then netted within the thirty second minute, and would full a brace within the 71st minute.
And naturally, no demolition by France is full with out some contribution from Kylian Mbappe, and it was within the 68th minute, he headed the purpose on the again of an help from Ousmane Dembele.
France would stroll away with all three factors, denying Australia any momentum after that opening purpose early on within the contest.
France 2-1 Denmark
Denmark had come into this contest on the again of a goalless draw in opposition to Tunisia of their first recreation, and so they needed to win this match in opposition to France, to have any probability of qualifying for the knockout levels. Nevertheless, that was not meant to be.
It was a cagey first half that ended goalless, and Mbappe had even blazed over from 12 yards and persuaded Kasper Schmeichel to a save, with a highl-flying shot.
Nevertheless, Mbappe then responded strongly within the second half, scoring a brace to ship France to the knockout stage, turning into the primary group to qualify for the spherical of 16.
Mbappe’s opener within the 61st minute was cancelled out by Andreas Christensen who scored the equaliser within the 68th, and it took simply 18 minutes for Mbappe to take France forward once more within the 86th, amassing Antoine Griezmann’s cross two yards from the purpose to place it previous the opposition goalkeeper.
With this, France not solely certified for the knockouts but additionally broke the defending champions’ curse in doing so, turning into the primary title defenders since Brazil in 2006 to transcend the group levels of the World Cup.
Tunisia 1-0 France
After two consecutive wins, France had been on the receiving finish of issues in Qatar once they suffered a 0-1 defeat by the hands of Tunisia, for whom even a victory was not sufficient to see them by to the knockouts.
With knockouts already sealed, France coach Didier Deschamps made 9 modifications, deciding to relaxation common gamers like Kylian Mbappe and Hugo Lloris, and began with Kolo Muani and Kingsley Coman beginning up entrance, whereas Steve Mandanda began at purpose for Les Bleus.
Wahbi Khazri, born in France, gave Tunisia the lead within the 58th minute of the competition, beating two French defenders earlier than slotting the purpose into the far nook of Mandada’s purpose.
At that second, when Tunisia took the lead, they had been frontrunners to undergo to the knockouts however Australia beating Denmark 1-0 within the different recreation for his or her second win meant the Socceroos went by, eliminating each Denmark and Tunisia.
Due to a greater purpose distinction, France certified as group winners from Group D.
Knockout levels
Spherical of 16: France 3-1 Poland
Within the Spherical of 16, France confronted European rivals Poland, who completed runners up in Group C in a dramatic day that noticed outcomes go all the way down to the wire.
France had been off to a dominant begin previous to surrendering ball possession to Poland. Within the thirty eighth minute, Poland midfielder Piotr Zielenski’s shot was parried by Hugo Lloris, with the ball returning to Piotr’s means however his second try was deflected by Theo Hernandez.
Within the forty fourth minute, Giroud gave France a 1-0 lead courtesy an help from Mbappe. France went to half-time with a 1-0 benefit, and it took precisely one other half an hour earlier than Mbappe doubled the lead for France. Within the first minute of stoppage time within the second half, Mbappe then tripled France’s lead with a right-footed strike to the top-right nook.
Poland’s talisman Robert Lewandowski did rating a penalty within the ninth minute of stoppage time, however that was not sufficient for Poland.
Quarter-final: England 1-2 France
A blockbuster quarter-final between two European giants at a FIFA World Cup is one thing you can not take without any consideration. England have beforehand been at this platform, however haven’t gone onto win the World Cup since 1966. And their endless wait will proceed, at the least for one more 4 years.
France got here out on prime, profitable the match 2-1, however this recreation had its moments.
It took simply 17 minutes for Aurélien Tchouaméni to present Deschamps’ males a 1-0 lead, and France did nicely to enter the half-time break with that lead. The lead was nevertheless controversial as within the build-up, it appeared as if England’s Bukayo Saka was fouled by Dayot Upamecano however the French purpose stood.
9 minutes into the second half, Saka was as soon as once more fouled contained in the French penalty field, and that earned England the penalty. Harry Kane did rating the penalty, however England’s celebration can be short-lived as Giroud scored by way of a header within the 78th minute to present France a 2-1 lead.
Within the 84th minute, England earned one other penalty that was given following a foul by Theo Hernandez, and Captain Kane took it as soon as once more.
This time although, Kane, going to the keeper’s proper missed the goal, blazing it excessive over the bar. That was a expensive missed alternative for England.
Eight minutes had been added in harm time on the finish of second half, and the stoppage time went nicely into the eleventh. Marcus Rashford gained a free-kick, and in a last-ditch try to save lots of England, he whipped it over the wall, just for the ball to finish up on the roof of the web. For England, that was that. It was the top of yet one more World Cup chapter that led to disappointment, however France, they maintain marching on, and can meet Morocco within the second semi-final on Wednesday.
Semi-final: France 2-0 Morocco
Morocco’s dream run within the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the place they turned the primary African group and solely the third nation neither from Europe nor from South America to succeed in the semi-finals, ended by the hands of France within the second semi-final on the Al Bayt Stadium on 14 December.
AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez put Les Bleus forward inside 5 minutes because the Atlas Lions conceded a purpose from an opposition participant for the primary time within the match. Randal Kolo Muani would then rating on the opposite facet of the half-time whistle, pouncing on the ball after a half-shot from Paris Saint-Germain famous person Kylian Mbappe to attain the third-fastest World Cup purpose by a substitute participant.
The Moroccans, although, didn’t surrender, testing goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and the remainder of the French defence a number of occasions regardless of the strain of trailing for the primary time within the match. In the long run, they bowed out of the match with their heads held excessive after the ultimate whistle blown as France certified for the World Cup ultimate for the fourth time.
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