World Cup: Messi inspires Argentina to knockout victory while Netherlands beat USA on day 14
France play Poland at the World Cup as the knockout stage continues in Qatar. The reigning champions resume their title defence as Les Bleus look to book a place in the quarter-finals, and a potential meeting with England in the last eight.
France qualified for the knockout stages by finishing top of Group D, but were beaten by Tunisia last time out. Kylian Mbappe has been in sparkling form with three goals so far.
They face a Poland side who scraped through to the last 16 as runners-up of Group C, despite their defeat to Argentina. Robert Lewandowski’s side were the definition of anti-football in the 2-0 loss. Follow all the action with our live blog below
HT France 1-0 Poland
Olivier Giroud opens the scoring at the Al Thumama Stadium. Can Poland respond after the break?
(REUTERS)
(REUTERS)
Half-time: France 1-0 Poland
45+2 mins: France take a lead into half-time after their main striker, Olivier Giroud, opened the scoring just before the break.
In doing so he also goes above Thierry Henry as France’s all time leading goalscorer. It’s a good time to take that record isn’t it?
GOAL! France 1-0 Poland (Giroud, 44’)⚽️
44 mins: There’s the breakthrough!
This is a tasty one from France. Ousmanne Dembele works the ball over to Dayot Upamecano who steps up then pitch and slides a pass into the feet of Kylian Mbappe.
He spins towards goal before slipping the ball into the box where Olivier Giroud times his run perfectly and guides a first-time left-footed strike over to the far bottom corner!
France 0-0 Poland
41 mins: Jules Kounde is flagged by the assistant referee and told to remove two gold necklaces before taking a throw in deep in Poland’s half.
France put the ball into the middle but Poland are well dug in and manage to deal with the cross.
France 0-0 Poland
38 mins: Off the line! Massive opportunity for Poland.
Bereszynski gets in behind the French back line on the left side of the pitch and carries the ball to the byline before pulling a pass back into the penalty area.
Piotr Zielinski comes running onto the ball and drills a shot at goal that Hugo Lloris does brilliantly to keep out. Poland have another go as they latch onto the rebound but Raphael Varane is well positioned to clear the ball off the line!
France 0-0 Poland
35 mins: Poland are showing how they can challenge France. Matty Cash brings the ball down the right side and fizzes a low, curling pass into the penalty area.
Lewandowski stretches out to meet the ball but it just skips by his outstretched left foot.
Chance! At the other end of the pitch Kylian Mbappe twists and turns his way into the left side of the box, leaving Cash perplexed at how quickly he moves the ball.
Space opens up and Mbappe smokes a shot into the side netting.
France 0-0 Poland
32 mins: Przemyslaw Frankowski brings the ball inside from the left wing for Poland and runs into trouble when coming up against Aurelien Tchouameni.
The French midifelder brings him down and gifts Poland a free kick in shooting distance.
Robert Lewandowski takes it but hits the wall with a poor effort at goal.
France 0-0 Poland
29 mins: Chance! France should be 1-0 up.
A misplaced pass gives the ball to Antoine Griezmann who slips a pass into the right side of the box for Ousmanne Dembele. He brings the ball under control before sending a pacey pass into the six-yard box.
Olivier Giroud arrives at the back post but has to lunge for the ball and his effort sees it roll wide of the target!
France 0-0 Poland
27 mins: Sebastian Szymanski whips the free kick into the penalty area but sends the ball skipping over everyone’s head and out the other side of the box.
France take over possession and feed Kylian Mbappe down the line. He flies down the pitch and gets alongside the bow but his no options around him and eventually loses the ball.
France 0-0 Poland
24 mins: This is better from Poland. They’ve kept possession inside the French half of the pitch and are building up their attack slowly but surely.
Bartosz Bereszynski brings the ball down the left and wins his side a free kick after a late clip from Ousmanne Dembele.
