FIFA World Cup, France 3-1 Poland: Record-breaker Giroud and Mbappe send Les Bleus into last eight

Giroud’s
44th-minute
strike
at
Al
Thumama
Stadium
put
him
ahead
of
fellow
former
Arsenal
and
Les
Bleus
forward
Thierry
Henry
for
France.

Mbappe
doubled
the
advantage
for
Didier
Deschamps’ men
and
added
another
before
full-time
to
move
two
goals
clear
as
the
tournament’s
top
scorer
in
Qatar.

Poland
had
earlier
put
up
a
fight
against
the
reigning
world
champions
and
scored
a
last-kick
consolation
after
Robert
Lewandoski
converted
a
retaken
penalty.

52
–
Olivier
Giroud
scored
his
52nd
goal
for
the
French
national
team,
overtaking
Thierry
Henry
to
become
the
top
goalscorer
in
Les
Bleus’
history.
Karting.

pic.twitter.com/gAhR8X9xka

—
OptaJean
(@OptaJean)

December
4,
2022

A
bright
start
from
France
was
low
on
clear
chances,
though
Giroud
should
have
had
his
goal
earlier
but
could
not
divert
Ousmane
Dembele’s
low
cross
from
the
right
into
the
net.

Poland
had
opportunities
of
their
own
in
the
first
half
and
were
somehow
denied
in
the
38th
minute
when
Bartosz
Bereszynski’s
cut-back
from
the
left
found
Piotr
Zielinski,
who
hit
his
shot
straight
at
Hugo
Lloris,
before
his
follow-up
was
also
blocked
and
then
Jakub
Kaminski
saw
his
effort
stopped
by
Raphael
Varane.

Giroud
had
his
moment
just
before
the
break
when
some
neat
passing
around
the
box
led
to
Mbappe
playing
a
quick
pass
into
the
striker,
who
finished
well
past
former
Arsenal
team-mate
Wojciech
Szczesny.

The
36-year-old
had
the
ball
in
the
net
again
just
before
the
hour
with
a
spectacular
overhead
kick,
but
the
whistle
had
already
gone
for
a
foul
on
Szczesny.

Mbappe
struck
with
16
minutes
remaining
to
ultimately
seal
the
win,
with
nice
work
again
from
Giroud
leading
to
Dembele
finding
Mbappe
to
the
left
of
the
penalty
area,
before
the
Paris
Saint-Germain
star
curled
the
ball
high
past
Szczesny
into
the
near
post.

The
Golden
Boot
leader
put
the
game
beyond
doubt
in
stoppage
time,
again
receiving
the
ball
to
the
left
of
the
penalty
area
before
placing
it
expertly
into
the
top-right
corner
of
the
net.

Poland
were
awarded
a
last-minute
penalty
after
a
VAR
check
for
handball
against
Dayot
Upamecano,
and
despite
seeing
his
first
effort
saved
by
Hugo
Lloris,
Lewandowski
sent
the
goalkeeper
the
wrong
way
with
his
second
attempt
after
Lloris
was
found
to
be
off
his
line
for
the
first.

What
does
it
mean?
World
Cup
retention
still
on
for
Les
Bleus

This
was
not
always
the
routine
win
a
3-1
scoreline
suggests,
but
France
showed
their
credentials
to
get
the
job
done
in
the
second
half.

Since
the
round
of
16
was
introduced
at
the
1986
World
Cup,
France
have
appeared
at
this
stage
on
six
occasions
and
progressed
from
all
six
ties
(also
1986,
1998,
2006,
2014
and
2018).
The
only
other
nations
to
appear
at
this
stage
more
than
once
and
progress
each
time
are
Germany
(8/8)
and
Croatia
(2/2).

Czeslaw
Michniewicz’s
men
head
home
after
Poland’s
first
match
in
the
knockout
stage
of
a
World
Cup
since
1986.

Giroud
stands
alone

The
Milan
striker
is
perennially
underrated,
but
can
now
claim
his
place
atop
France’s
top
scorer
list,
even
if
Mbappe
feels
destined
to
one
day
overtake
him.

At
the
age
of
36
years
and
65
days,
Giroud
also
became
the
oldest
goalscorer
in
the
knockout
stages
of
the
World
Cup
since
Roger
Milla
in
the
1990
round
of
16
game
against
Colombia
(38y,
34d).

Mbappe
burns
through
Cash

When
Matty
Cash
decided
to
represent
Poland
instead
of
England,
he
probably
dreamed
of
the
day
he
could
face
someone
like
Mbappe
at
the
World
Cup.

While
it
was
not
exactly
a
nightmare,
with
the
Aston
Villa
full-back
holding
his
own
on
occasion,
Mbappe
was
in
the
mood
and
attempted
nine
dribbles,
five
more
than
anyone
else
on
the
pitch,
having
five
shots
and
11
touches
in
the
opposition
box.

What’s
next?

France
progress
to
face
the
winner
of
England
versus
Senegal
next
Saturday,
while
it
is
the
end
of
the
road
in
Qatar
for
Poland.