Defending champions France beat England 2-1 after a nail-biting match at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and is set to play Morocco for a place in the final.
Olivier Giroud scored the winner and Harry Kane missed a penalty as the defending champions France booked their place in the semi-finals.
Aurelien Tchouameni put France ahead with a blistering long-range shot in the 17th minute at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday. England fans were left particularly aggrieved after calls for two suspected fouls against Bukayo Saka were dismissed in the seconds before the defending world champions opened the scoring.
It was largely equally matched in the first half, but England began the second half applying pressure. Saka was again brought down shortly after the second half commenced, but this time it was inside the French box, and the referee pointed to the spot.
England’s captain Harry Kane blasted the ball into the net past is Tottenham Hotspur’s teammate Hugo Lloris to equalise in the 54th minute of the game. Harry Kane’s goal made him equal with Wayne Rooney.
England were a better side for a long stretch of the game at Al Bayt Stadium but, almost from nowhere, France went back in front when Giroud headed home with 11 minutes left in the game.
England were awarded another penalty which Kane blasted over the bar crushing England’s hopes of winning a major international trophy since the 1966 World Cup.
France remain on course to become the first side since Brazil 60 years ago, to successfully defend the World Cup.
With Brazil having been eliminated on Friday and England dealt with in the dessert north of Doha, France are now the favourites to retain their title as they prepare to face Morocco in the semi-finals.
Source: The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Euro News, News24 Sport, SuperSport, image from Twitter: @DavyKiptoo