For Qatar, the stars are encouraged. At least that of PSG. The phenomenal Messi against Australia was answered by a colossal Mbappé, messenger, scorer and whatever you want against Poland. First, an assist from Platini or Zidane for Giroud’s 1-0. Second, a thunderous strike that burst the ball and creaked the net of Szczesny, the Polish goalkeeper. Third, another barbarism, a massive blow that burned the opponent’s goal. Today this footballer is from the afterlife. Yesterday Lewandowski, who missed his second penalty of the tournament with the clock on zero. Lloris, a French goalkeeper, made the switch and the Pole was eliminated from the World Cup with one final shot.
Mbappé, for everything, the hanger of France, no matter how much nonsense he has. football is enough. Running and idling. Poland, greatly improved, held the type until Mbappé played the fiddle in the first goal and pulled out the bazooka in the second and third. He already has five goals – one more than in Russia 2018 – and two assists – one more than at his last successful World Cup.
France will sprint. Those who prefer Mbappé coordinating at thousands an hour as most are not idle. Footballers with turbines in their boots, the master hangs on him, at some point more than necessary presented by Poland. Nothing to do with the rough and shaky Poland measured against Argentina. The selection that Lewandowski oversees had a different lightness, a different will. It is likely that the Poles have already accepted their World Cup. Aside from the captain, there are no consequences for Lato, Gadocha, Deyna, Lubanski, Boniek… With the current basket, there’s nothing to blame for losing to France.
With Mbappé’s rope and some initial splashes from Dembélé, Didier Deschamps’ team began the authoritative tone derived from the poster. Tchouameni and Rabiot with the anchor. In its orbit, Griezmann, a case that deserves greater recognition. Footballer with panorama, familiar with the goal and present for the mayor, what is necessary. At the table of the current footballers in tails, nobody wears soles more than Griezmann. Its cut is standard, it is natural. And besides, France is asking it to refresh the extremes. On the wings Mbappé – a torment for Cash, whose chain kept falling off – and Dembélé to make the Polish bars jump. Giroud to his own, in the goalkeeper’s room.
Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny lunges for the ball but fails to stop French striker Mbappé’s shot returning to the net for his team’s second goal.GLYN KIRK (AFP)
Poland’s Robert Lewandowski (right) laments a missed penalty Tom Weller (Europa Press)
Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (in the foreground) and French defender Dayot Upamecano on the ground after a game MANAN VATSYAYANA (AFP)
France defender Theo Hernández (centre) heads the ball. KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV (AFP)
Mbappe (left) scores France’s second goal. Georgi Licovski (EFE)
Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny concedes a goal against French striker Kylian Mbappé. Abedin Taherkenareh (EFE)
France’s Dayot Upamecano (left) and Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny clash in their round of 16 match Natacha Pisarenko (AP)
French striker Olivier Giroud kicks the ball. ODD ANDERSEN (AFP)
Mbappe celebrates his goal against Poland GLYN KIRK (AFP)
Przemyslaw Frankowski (left) from Poland and Aurelien Tchouameni from France after a play by Friedemann Vogel (EFE)
Kylian Mbappé tries to escape from Poland’s Matthew Cash. Ricardo Mazalan (dpa)
France’s Aurelien Tchouameni, left, battles for the ball with Poland’s Robert Lewandowski.Moises Castillo (AP)
Poland’s Robert Lewandowski tries to get away from France’s Aurelien Tchouameni and Ousmane Dembelé. DYLAN MARTINEZ (Portal)
Raphael Varane (right) tries to pass Poland goalkeeper Szczesny. FRANK FIFE (AFP)
Olivier Giroud scores the first goal against Poland. FABRIZIO BENSCH (Portal)
French striker Giroud celebrates his goal. Ebrahim Noroozi (AP)
Frenchman Olivier Giroud scores against Chilean Ricardo Mazalan (AP) in the first part of the match against Poland at Al Thumama stadium
France midfielder Kylian Mbappé in a moment of the game. Ali Haider (EFE)
France’s Olivier Giroud misses a chance on the ground. Abedin Taherkenareh (EFE)
French defender Raphael Varane (right) in front of Robert Lewandowski (in the middle) and Piotr Zielinski in the first part of the game ODD ANDERSEN (AFP)
Olivier Giroud celebrates the first goal HANNAH MCKAY (Portal)
Jules Kounde from France takes the ball. Friedemann Vogel (EFE)
Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczensy (second from left) and players Jakub Kiwior (left) and Bartosz Bereszynski look at the ball after a game. Abedin Taherkenareh (EFE)
France’s Kylian Mbappé watches the ball. Moisés Castillo (AP)
Fifa President Gianni Infantino (centre) arriving for the match between France and Poland at Al Thumama Stadium Friedemann Vogel (EFE)
France’s Raphael Varane (top right) fights for the ball with Poland’s Jakub Kiwior. KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV (AFP)
France’s Kylian Mbappé in the foreground and Poland’s Matty Cash fight for the ball. HANNAH MCKAY (Portal)
Tchouameni was the first to warm up this good goalkeeper with the surname that chokes, Szczesny. Everything seemed to be under Gallic control. A mirage in the next few minutes.
Lowered to the round table in midfield where France craves Pogba and Kanté, Deschamps’ side find it difficult to hold games. And he needs air for Mbappé to assert himself, so he doesn’t mind taking a small step back to find his icon’s wick. This time, Czeslaw Michniewicz’s team almost made him pay.
Released, without complexes, Poland warned that it had its cards. Zielinski acted as a beacon and Bereszynski and Frankowski started chatting. And to nag Koundé, who is not always escorted by Dembélé. This distinguished jackal Lewandowski missed a left footed shot by a couple of centimetres. Try it, it’s time to play, the best Poland of the tournament upset France. All the more worrying when, after a few minutes without Mbappé’s steps, Bereszynski boldly and successfully challenged the French defense. His service from the penalty spot was embedded by Zielinski against Lloris. It was Tor or Tor, but no. The second time it was Zielinski’s goal or goal but the ball bounced off Theo. In the third, it was a goal or a goal from Szymanski, but Varane interfered under the bar.
Alarm in France. Poland had nothing to lose. Then came the moment Mbappé. For once, he didn’t park on the left wing and challenged Cash to a sprint duel. This time he was aimed at the center line of attack. Another Mbappé, the one who not only plays with skates instead of boots, but also has an observatory. The filtered pass on Giroud was a treat, clever and concise. The striker scored from a cross from Szczesny’s left. There was a repertoire of the French phenomenon PSG. For example, a long-range shot that hit the Polish goal like a cluster bomb. An echo hit. The jewel of France finished the game as a striker. There are total footballers, few, but they exist. One is Mbappe. With him as a flag, the end of the World Cup for Poland. And I step before France, which knows no borders with a soloist like this. Even if Benzema, Kanté, Pogba and Lucas Hernández are suffering in the infirmary.
In Al Thumama, the Mbappé festival was great.
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