No two games are the same, it’s true, but against France, Poland looked like another team. A far cry from the prudence and fear he showed against Argentina four days ago.
What Lewandowski’s team demonstrated in the last match of the group stage suggests a game without complications for the world champion. In front of those of Scaloni we saw a group without aspirations and without any intention of hurting, even when the result excluded him from the round of 16, according to what happened in Mexico-Saudi Arabia. None of this was repeated.
He stopped to play against, but tried to press, which he had hardly done against the Selection. And when he overcame the French storm in the first minutes, he rejoiced until he took the ball from the world champion and generated a triple finish that was not a miraculous goal, with three saves on the line. The last one, by Varane, is incredible.
Despite Mbappé up front, Poland had more audacity and were encouraged to play, and sometimes he succeeded, much more than when Messi was on the other side. Against France he competed, and it was Mbappé’s efficiency that liquidated him, while against Argentina he played resigned and without the possibility of changing his fortune.
What happened to France? He started with authority, he faded, he suffered a lot in that moment and then what everyone expected happened, that Mbappé would solve the problem. “Opened the jar“Scaloni said of Messi after Leo’s goal against Australia. The same thing happened, although in this case Mbappé untied the knot with a magical assist for Giroud. Like Leo, Kylian sees what others don’t and turns that into goals. Mbappé also closed the jar with two great goals, when France did not guarantee victory. Messi was very close to doing the same against Australia, but Lautaro Martínez didn’t help him.
Didier Deschamps returned to the 4-2-3-1 with which he had become champion, but changed some interpreters. Dembélé for Matuidi, for example, with Mbappé passing to the left, implies a more offensive intention, accompanied by the fact that the team has increased the percentage of ball possession compared to Russia 2018, which was below 50 percent in key matches and now exceeds 60%.
For the starting position he looks like a less thrifty and more protagonist world champion, however Poland were not so scared. Until Mbappé grabbed the ball.
Source: Clarin
Jason Root is the go-to source for sports coverage at News Rebeat. With a passion for athletics and an in-depth knowledge of the latest sports trends, Jason provides comprehensive and engaging analysis of the world of sports.