In a match dominated by England, France, almost against the overall course of play, won (2-1) in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup. Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus enter the last four of the World Cup in Qatar and will face Morocco in the semi-finals on Wednesday.
The Tops of England-France
Griezmann, decisive for a record
As usual since the start of this World Cup, Antoine Griezmann impressed with his volume of play in the midfield of the Blues. The Atlético Madrid striker, positioned in number 10, often found himself in his part of the field, to tackle, scrape balls and make useful mistakes. But Antoine Griezmann also knew how to be decisive: the 2018 world champion offered a decisive pass to Aurélien Tchouaméni (17th), before crossing for Olivier Giroud (78th), for the winning goal. Antoine Griezmann has also become the best passer in the history of the French team, this evening (28), ahead of Thierry Henry (27), already beaten for goals by Olivier Giroud. An essential activity and an influence of almost every moment from Grizou, the – very – strong man of the Blues this evening.
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Decisive passer on the goal of Tchouaméni, @AntoGriezmann becomes the ???????? ??????? in the history of the Blues, tied with Thierry Henry (27) ?
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— French team ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) December 10, 2022
The Lloris wall
Identified as the weak link of the Blues by the British press, which has also been very active in the chamber this week but can now bite its fingers, Hugo Lloris responded on the ground, as announced at a press conference this week . The 35-year-old goalkeeper was notably decisive in the first half (22nd, 28th), against his very dangerous Tottenham friend, Harry Kane, then at the start of the second period (46th), to keep the Blues afloat, before the equalization on penalty of the English (54th). Author, in all, of six parades, Hugo Lloris has greatly contributed to hoisting the dominated but solid Blues, in his image, in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
Kane, an almost perfect match
Unhappy Harry Kane. The Tottenham striker, undoubtedly the most dangerous player on his team, slightly ahead of the Gunner Bukayo Saka who caused a penalty (54th), dangerously alerted Hugo Lloris twice, in the first half. A real poison for the young Dayot Upamecano, who sometimes had trouble containing Harry Kane, who finally scored his 2nd World Cup goal in the 54th minute, from a penalty, and who became tied with Wayne Rooney, the top scorer in his selection. But in the 84th minute, the very impressive Englishman’s match changed: again face-to-face with Hugo Lloris from the penalty spot, following a foul by Théo Hernandez on incoming Mason Mount, the Spurs scorer shot in the clouds. And let the French team slip away in the semi-finals.
The England-France Flops
England, unsuccessful possession
Dominant for most of the match (57% possession, 16 shots to 8), and especially in the second half when the Blues were largely overwhelmed, England failed to materialize on the scoreboard their superiority in the game. Very sterile in the first half, the English appeared without ideas, regularly kept the ball without doing anything and above all seemed very frightened by the possibility of being countered by Kylian Mbappé. More relaxed in the second half, the formation of Gareth Southgate repeatedly put the danger in front of the cages of Hugo Lloris, but did not know how to keep his inviolate, twice. Faced with much more realistic Blues, England may have some regrets, especially after the missed penalty from Harry Kane.
The discreet Mbappé
Identified by the English as the number 1 threat to the French team, Kylian Mbappé was well muzzled by the English defensive organization. Marked closely by Cityzen Kyle Walker, who hardly ever brought the excess number in attack for fear of being caught behind his back by a lightning counter-attack from the Blues, Kylian Mbappé regularly touched the ball during the match, but has rarely been put in the right position to make a difference. As proof, the 2018 world champion made no shot on target in the game. Latent threat, therefore, but discreet, this Saturday evening.
