France topple England and continue their march towards retaining the title
France set up a date with Morocco in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup currently being held in Qatar, beating England 2-1 on Saturday evening at Al Bayt Stadium, at the end of the quarter-finals.
Aurélène Chuamini (17) and Olivier Giroud (78) scored France's goals, while Harry Kane scored England's only goal from the penalty spot (54).
The French team, the best party in the first quarter of an hour of the meeting, and threatened the opponent's goal in the 11th minute, when Antoine Griezmann lifted a medium-height cross from the right side, Olivier Giroud dived in a technical way to follow it with his head in the hands of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
But France's advantage paid off in the 17th minute, when Griezmann passed the ball to Chouameni who fired it from outside the box, to the right of the goalkeeper.
England tried to level the score quickly, as Yukayo Saka passed a cunning ball to captain Harry Kane, who flexibly got rid of defender Dalot Opamikaono, before facing goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who saved his solo in the 23rd minute.
England called for a penalty in the 26th minute, after Kane was fouled, but the referee ordered play to continue after resorting to VAR.
Kane tried his luck with a shot from outside the box in the 29th minute, which bounced off a defender before Lloris cleared the danger, while France star Kylian Mbappe fired a shot over the goal in the 33rd minute.
England were the better side in the last quarter of an hour of the first half, without actually threatening the French goal, and his attacks were based on the right side of Saka, but France's defense was the master of the situation until the end of the half.
England seemed determined to level the score quickly in the second half, and Jude Bellingham fired a rocket shot, goalkeeper Lloris flew to clear it over the goal in the 47th minute.
A corner kick by Phil Foden created a dribble inside the France penalty area, to reach Declan Rice, who touched the ball to settle in the hands of the goalkeeper in the 49th minute.
The referee awarded a penalty to England, after Saka was fouled by Opamecano, and Kane successfully took the kick to score the equalizer in the 54th minute.
The French almost regained their lead quickly, but goalkeeper Pickford kept out the danger of midfielder Adrien Rabiot's shot in the 55th minute.
Saka ignored the France defense and stormed it dribbling from the middle, before hitting a weak ball, goalkeeper Lloris Saouba did not find control in the 60th minute, and two minutes later Saka returned to his quarrels on the right side, before passing to Kane, who was able to prevent Lloris from his attempt.
France topple England and continue their march towards retaining the title
England came close to scoring the goal in the 72nd minute, when Henderson lifted the ball from a free kick, on the head of Harry Maguire, who shot it strong to hit the post.
English left-back Luke Shaw sent a creeping cross, followed by Saka lightly amid harassment, next to the far post in the 72nd minute.
Giroud almost scored for France in the 77th minute, but his memorable attempt after a ball from Ousmane Dembele was ably saved by Pickford.
But Giroud made up for France's second goal in the 78th minute, when his header sold a precise cross from teammate Griezmann.
Mason Montt and Raheem Sterling entered the England squad, and the referee awarded a second penalty to England after Mont was hit from behind, but Kane knocked the ball high above the goal.
Marcus Rashford entered the England squad in the final minutes, without anything new after 8 minutes of stoppage time, and a free kick carried out by Rashford, slightly above the goal in the last exhalation.