Harry Kane scored one penalty but missed a crucial late one as France squeezed through to the World Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 win over England.
World Cup 2022 – England 1-2 France – Harry Kane scored a penalty but the missed a crucial late one as Les Bleus edged through semifinals.
Key moments
- Tchouameni scored a screamer early in the first half
- Harry Kane equalized on a spot-kick when the game restarted
- Olivier Giroud took back Les Bleus’ lead with a header
- Kane missed the late penalty as he fired it wide
World Cup 2022 – England 1-2 France – Game Highlights
Kane cancelled out Aurelien Tchouameni’s screamer as the Real Madrid midfielder opened the score with a 54th-minute penalty.
However, Kane could not repeat the feat with seven minutes to go, blazing high over the bar.
Among the in-between highlights of the game was Oliver Giroud’s header had that gave France an advantage.
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Tight game from the start
The defending champions started the brighter and Giroud ought to have done better after 11 minutes than head Ousmane Dembele’s cross straight at Jordan Pickford.
England responded well with Kane foiled by Tottenham team-mate Hugo Lloris before VAR came to France’s rescue.
It was adjudged that Dayot Upamecano’s trip on Kane took place outside the box, which gave France a relieve.
Gareth Southgate’s men remained on the front foot after the break, Lloris tipping over Jude Bellingham’s 20-yard drive.
A deserved equaliser finally arrived after 54 minutes Bellingham and Bukayo Saka combined and the latter was tripped by Tchouameni. It was a clear penalty for England, and Harry Kane stepped up.
The skipper won the battle of nerves with Lloris by firing high into the top left-hand corner.
The Tottenham Hotspur striker now equals Wayne Rooney as all time top scorer for England with 53 goals, and what a moment to do that.
Pickford saved well from Adrien Rabiot but England countered with a Saka shot and a Harry Maguire header that clipped the outside of the post.
Having come close seconds before with a volley that brought a smart save out of Pickford, Giroud restored France’s advantage with 12 minutes to go.
Griezmann moved to the left flank and whipped in a delicious cross for the Milan striker to head in via Maguire’s shoulder.
England squandered the opportunity to equalise for a second time five minutes later when Sampaio, after consulting the VAR monitor, awarded a penalty for Theo Hernandez’s senseless barge into substitute Mason Mount.
Kane, who would have broken Wayne Rooney’s England record with his 54th international goal had he scored, blasted well over the top.
Substitute Marcus Rashford almost levelled with the last kick of the game, a free-kick that flashed narrowly over the bar.
What’s next
It’s the end of the road for England while Morocco awaits for Didier Deschamps’ France side.
Just like what our M88 Mansion Brand Ambassador Steven Gerrard mentioned in his full interview ahead of the 2022 World Cup, England got the potential of going all the way, just something related the penalty that refrained them from going further, like in the 2018 World Cup, 2021 Euro, and now.
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