France – Poland and England – Senegal on the program of the eighth of this Sunday | 2022 World Cup

The first meeting will pit two of the best strikers on the football planet against Kylian Mbappé, who has already scored three goals for France in this World Cup, and Robert Lewandowski, who finally opened his counter for Poland in a World Cup by scoring against Saudi Arabia (2-0).

In search of a second consecutive title (and a third star after 1998 and 2018), the Blues start as favorites in this clash. They will be keen to make people forget the false Tunisian note (1-0 defeat) in their last Group D match, which they won in front of the surprise Australian. Before that, the troops of Didier Deschamps had been imperial against Australia (4-1) and Denmark (2-1), notably allowing Olivier Giroud to join Thierry Henry at the top of the top scorers in French history ( 51 goals).

On the other side, the Poles, second in Group C behind Argentina, will rely on a Wojciech Szczesny in great shape since the start of the competition, since he notably stopped two penalties. They will also rely on their major attacking asset, namely Robert Lewandowski, top scorer of his selection with 77 goals. The White Eagles will try to do as well as their elders, who won 3-2 against France in 1982, during their only confrontation in the World Cup. That year, as in 1974, they took third place in the tournament, their best result to date.

In the unpublished poster of the second match of the day, England wins the favor of the forecasts. The Three Lions finished unbeaten at the top of Group B (ahead of the United States) scoring nine goals, six of them against Iran alone. Finalists of the last Euro (lost against Italy), the English, fourth in the Russian World Cup, are still chasing a second success in the World Cup after that acquired at home in 1966.

Opposite them will be Senegal, reigning African champions. Although deprived of their star Sadio Mané, the Lions of Teranga got out of group A by finishing second behind the Netherlands. Despite an inaugural defeat against these same Batavians, the Senegalese raised the bar by winning 3-1 against Qatar and 2-1 against Ecuador. For their third final phase of a World Cup, they hope to repeat the feat of 2002, which saw them climb to the quarter-finals (0-1 defeat against Turkey).