France still lit, overcame an England who failed at a key moment to take a double championship plaque

The current world champion continues his march in Qatar 2022 and is already in the semifinals. It didn’t matter that this time its big star Kylian Mbappé didn’t shine and was very contained. The voracity of France, which seeks the Scudetto twice, was the same against another heavyweight in this World Cup. The Azzurri defeated England 2-1 in a great match with a vibrant return journey defined by detail, and face revelation Morocco on Wednesday.

Harry Kane went from making team history by tying Rooney as top scorer to being the face of elimination by sending the penalty that could have meant an equalizer into the stands to force extra time.

Gareth Southgate had managed to tame the beast, Mbappé, with the harsh branding of Walker. The Paris Saint-Germain crack was caged down the left, delivered a grounded release and barely penetrated once in 90 minutes for his side. The good news for Lionel Scaloni, thinking of a hypothetical final, is that Mbappé is not human.

The bad news is that the Gauls have other dangers to watch out for. On the night in Al-Bayt they took advantage of the sharp Giroud to make the difference at the right moment and got the wink of the always welcome goddess of luck in that unfortunate definition of Kane from eleven meters.

Strike and attack quickly. This was what the French attack fed on, which won 15 of his last 17 knockout matches at the World Cup (one for penalties). He did it from the start under Antoine Griezmann, who played for Ousmane Dembelé. Olivier Giroud’s headed cross went into the hands of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. First notification.

The second was a goal. Another ball won in the English attack and the speed of the counterattack is the protagonist. Dayot Upamecano was encouraged to send high and connected with a Kylian Mbappé who, being very well marked by Kyle Walker for his band, jumped in the middle. Dembelé appears on the right and touches the center for Griezmann, who brings in Aurelien Tchouameni. And the central midfielder invented the 1-0.

Only he saw that shooting from his position was a drinkable option. And boy was it. Out of nowhere he took a corner shot which sank into the net to everyone’s surprise.

France dominated with an enthralling Griezmann and two full-backs, Jules Koundé and Theo Hernández, with intelligent and fruitful projections. But the breaking of the result shifted control over the British forces.

With Walker and Luke Shaw contained by Mbappé and Dembelé respectively, everything was left to the creativity of the inside midfielders and wingers. Phil Foden didn’t show up, but… Bukayo Saka has put together a good explosive partnership with Jordan Henderson and Harry Kane.

The centre-forward had two clear ones that Hugo Lloris covered, as well as a diabolical shot from Henderson already in the complement. Previously, still in that moment of English power in the first half, even Shaw came close from a free kick.

After a while for each, everything leveled out. The result has also been balanced to be in tune with the game. Adrien Rabiot brought Saka inside the area and the Brazilian referee, Wilton Sampaio, took the clear penalty. Kane stepped in front of his Tottenham teammate Lloris and showed no mercy.

That draw meant he would reach Wayne Rooney at the top of England’s all-time goalscoring chart, with 53 whoops. The Citizen did so in his 80th match, while Rooney needed 120 caps for the British team.

From there, the night went step by step. Pickford instantly stifled Rabiot’s second after a carelessness at England’s back. Harry Maguire’s header grazed the post and went out. Pickford saves himself again, this time face to face with Giroud…

Until a cross in the heart of Griezmann’s area finds Giroud’s great front end which deviates slightly from Maguire’s shoulder and enters lopsided again. The French nine already has four goals in the World Cup, he is one behind Mbappé, the top scorer, and equaled Lionel Messi.

The emotions didn’t stop there. Hernández took the conceded Mason Mount and Sampaio had to take the penalty after getting the VAR call. Kane, this time, threw it into the clouds with just six minutes to go. In that ball that escaped a meter over the crossbar, the English dream flew away.

There will be no final between England and Argentina. Another morbidity was struck down on Qatari soil, after the semi-final clash between Albiceleste and Brazil, eliminated by Croatia, did not even take place.

This time the fault lies with France, which with or without Mbappé on fire, has ratified its strong candidacy for this World Cup.

Al Khor, Qatar. Special delivery.