England – France 1:2, CUT: Giroud hit France to advance, the English captain failed

In the semi-finals, France will play the surprise of the tournament, Morocco, on Wednesday. The selection of the Gaelic Rooster has succeeded for the seventh time out of nine World Cup quarter-final appearances, while England, on the other hand, have progressed in just three of 11 attempts and will not repeat the semi-final from the last championship four years ago. France lost only one of the last nine duels with Albion, but they beat last year’s European vice-champions for the first time at the World Cup.

As expected, both teams started with the same line-up as in the victorious Round of 16. After an even start and a few hints, the French struck. Griezmann passed to Tchouaméni in front of the goal and he caught the English goalkeeper Pickford, who was catching his 50th international match, practically out of step with a shot to the post.

The 22-year-old defensive midfielder scored his second goal for the national team and his first at the World Cup. It was only the twelfth goal with an attempt from behind the goal at the tournament in Qatar, a lower percentage of goals from shots outside the penalty area in the championships since the beginning of the measurement.

The defenders of gold retreated after the leading hit and let the opponents form. In the 22nd minute, Kane pushed his way from the side in front of the goal, but he didn’t beat his teammate from Tottenham, goalkeeper Lloris, who surpassed the French record holder Thuram in his 143rd international start.

Then Kane fell in the box after a fight with Upamecano, but referee Sampaio did not award a penalty after consulting with the video referee, apparently because the tackle took place just outside the penalty area.

Kane was very active, but he did not beat Lloris even in the 29th minute from beyond the box. On the opposite side, after an imaginatively played set piece, the leader of the Gunners table, Mbappé, shot over and did not add his sixth goal of the tournament.

England have yet to turn around a game in which they were trailing at half-time at the World Cup. They did not improve the unflattering balance sheet even today, even though they succeeded in entering the second act. In the 47th minute, the youngster Bellingham stretched just behind the goal and Lloris pulled the ball to the corner with all his might.

Albion equalized in no time. Tchouaméni tripped Saka in the penalty area and Kane did not hesitate from the penalty. The English captain sent his teammate from Tottenham Lloris to the opposite side and with the 53rd goal equaled the all-time top scorer of the English national team, Rooney.

The French could immediately take the lead back, but Rabiot couldn’t beat Picford with a leaping shot. In the 70th minute, Maguire pushed his way to the end of a free kick from the center and his header narrowly brushed the post.

The English seemed to push harder for the winning goal, but in the end it was the French who scored it. In the 77th minute, Giroud had not yet beaten Pickford, but shortly after the subsequent corner, he headed the center. The ball was easily passed by the defending Maguire. Giroud, like Kane, scored the 53rd goal for the national team and consolidated his position as the best scorer in the history of the French national team.

The English soon had the perfect chance to equalize again. Hernandez pushed substitute Mount in the box and the referee, after consulting the video referee and reviewing the situation, awarded a second penalty against France.

In the 84th minute, Kane stood up again for execution, but this time he overshot and did not convert the fifth penalty kick at the World Cup. At the end of the setup, even substitute Rashford headed over from a free kick. Even this year, the English will not break the wait for a triumph from a major tournament, which has lasted since the gold at the World Cup in 1966.