World Cup 2022 – England 1-2 France: Harry Kane misses late penalty as Olivier Giroud heads defending champions into semifinals

Harry Kane blazed a late penalty over the bar as England’s World Cup goals ended with a 2-1 defeat within the quarter-finals to defending champions France.

The England captain had already transformed from 12 yards earlier within the recreation to degree after Aurelien Tchouameni’s thunderbolt had put France forward and he was given a golden alternative to equalize for a second time after Olivier Giroud’s header when Theo Hernandez recklessly barged into Mason Mount.

His first penalty had taken Kane degree with Wayne Rooney’s England scoring report of 53 objectives and meant he’d scored extra penalties in regular time at World Cups than any participant ever.

But with six minutes to play, and the strain large, he smashed his second spot kick excessive over the bar. Kane appeared devastated. There was no approach again and on the closing whistle, he was inconsolable.

Referee Wilton Sampaio had initially missed the foul on Mount earlier than VAR suggested him to test the pitchside monitor and England had been annoyed all through this enthralling contest by selections from the officers, with a problem on Bukayo Saka not given as a foul within the build-up to the opener and a penalty shout from Kane missed within the first half.

Jude Bellingham, at 19-years-old and England’s youngest participant to start out a quarter-final, Saka, 21, and Phil Foden, 22, had been all distinctive as Gareth Southgate’s facet dueled with France. Harry Maguire clipped a submit with a header at 1-1 and Marcus Rashford lifted a last-gasp free-kick onto the roof of the web.

But finally it was a penalty that induced England World Cup heartbreak once more.

What subsequent for Gareth Southgate? Will he proceed along with his contract working via to the subsequent European Championships for yet one more shot at glory with this group? That is the controversy for the times to return.

As for France, they go on to play Morocco within the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday at 7pm, once more on the Al Bayt stadium after Morocco grew to become the primary African nation to succeed in the ultimate 4 with a 1-0 win over Portugal earlier on Saturday, which left Cristiano Ronaldo in tears.

How England’s World Cup dream ended

It was a dramatic ending to this epic first-ever knockout conflict between these sides. It had begun with England wanting nervy after the large build-up and the worry of France star Kylian Mbappe was plain to see when he was in a position to stretch his legs within the lead-up to the opener.

After a determined problem from Declan Rice, England retreated quickly to their very own space and there was then house for Antoine Griezmann to roll throughout for Tchouameni to crash a wonderful strike into the underside nook.

England complained there ought to have been a foul given for a problem from Dayot Upamecano on Saka initially of the transfer and there was extra frustration with the officers and VAR when no penalty was awarded when Kane rolled the defender for a second time within the house of 5 minutes and tumbled on the sting of the realm.

Kane examined Tottenham teammate Lloris from shut vary and from distance as he led England’s response however the specter of France was at all times there, with Mbappe firing over after a free-kick was labored into the field.

England had by no means gained a World Cup match they had been dropping at half-time, whereas France had gained 24 of the 25 they’d led after 45 minutes — however Bellingham confirmed no respect for such information, driving England ahead early within the second interval earlier than offering the wall go for Saka when the Arsenal man was floored within the field by Tchouameni.

Kane, after being made to attend, finally slammed residence the penalty to match Rooney’s milestone. It was an enormous second in his profession and his fourth purpose from the spot in World Cups — however one which might be overshadowed by one other penalty to return.

The equalizer sparked a frantic jiffy, with Adrien Rabiot nearly catching England asleep seconds after the restart when he pressured a cease from Jordan Pickford and Mbappe turned on the afterburners to cost away from Walker, however the Three Lions refocused and had been inches away when Maguire grazed a submit with a header from Jordan Henderson’s free-kick.

Giroud had grow to be France’s report goalscorer himself earlier on this match and after heading vast and seeing Pickford push away a volley, he beat Maguire to Griezmann’s cross to go his nation again in entrance.

There had been emphatic celebrations from the French and it was a hammer blow to England — however extremely they got an opportunity to avoid wasting their World Cup simply a few minutes later because of Hernandez’s inconsiderate foul. This time, although, Kane received all of it unsuitable. Uncharacteristically so.

The miss knocked the stuffing out of England and the prospect of mounting a grandstand end. They had been in a position to muster yet one more likelihood — however Rashford was simply off course as he appeared to fireplace in a second free-kick of this World Cup. There was to be no late twist. England’s huge likelihood had come and gone. And so had their hopes of glory in Qatar.

Kane: I take duty; it’s going to harm

England captain Harry Kane talking on ITV: “I’m always someone who prepares for getting one or two penalties in a game, I always have an idea for what I want to do. I can’t fault my preparation or anything like that, it was just the execution on the night.

“The first pen was nice, the second I did not fairly hit it how I needed to. I’ve to take it on the chin, it’s going to harm for positive, the entire recreation will harm. As the captain, I’ll take that, however I could not be prouder of the boys.

“It comes down to a small detail I’ll take responsibility for. I’m not worried about the team and how it will impact them. We have some great talent.”

Southgate: We believed we might win the World Cup

England supervisor Gareth Southgate talking on ITV: “The performance did [live up to expectation]. In the end, goals are decisive. I’ve just said to the players, they couldn’t give any more. Fine margins. Things at both ends that have decided the game. I’m proud of the way they’ve been through the tournament.”

On the referee: “Pointless me going into that. I’d rather talk about our players. Congratulations to France. They know they’ve been in a hell of a game. I don’t think we could have done any more.

“For me, we win and lose as a group. We let two [goals] in and missed possibilities. Harry [Kane] has been unbelievable for us. So dependable. We would not be right here if not for the objectives he is scored for us.

“It’s key moments. In most of the big moments we were in the right place. It’s a game of fine margins. We were here to try to win the tournament — we had belief we could. We’ve got a team that could have done that.”

On his England future, Southgate stated: “After every tournament we’ve sat down and reviewed and reflected. So we need a bit of time to make sure everyone makes the right decisions.”

Analysis: England’s protection prices them in the long run

SSN senior reporter Rob Dorsett on the Al Thumama Stadium:

“England’s players dropped to the turf, many in tears, as France celebrate. The English fans were silent. Stunned. Heartbreak for England, who crashed out in Qatar.

“For a lot of this quarter-final, they had been the higher facet. They had extra possession, created extra possibilities than the world champions. But the England captain will want a while to course of the unthinkable – that he missed, at a vital time, from 12 yards.

“That’s so bittersweet for Kane, who equaled Wayne Rooney’s goalscoring record earlier, with nerves of steel.

“England will bemoan the referee, who did them no favors and missed some key selections however finally, as we feared from the very begin of the match, it was England’s protection that price them. Two key lapses, that had been ruthlessly punished by France.

“England will head home tomorrow. Christmas is canceled.”

Opta stats — Quarter-final heartbreak once more for England

• This is the seventh time England have been eradicated from the quarter-final phases of the World Cup, greater than another facet within the historical past of the competitors.
• England have misplaced all three of their World Cup matches towards reigning champions, with all three coming within the quarter-final stage of the competitors (2-4 vs Uruguay in 1954, 1-3 vs Brazil in 1962 and 1-2 vs France tonight).
• England scored 13 objectives on the 2022 World Cup, the very best variety of objectives they’ve ever scored in a single version of a serious match (World Cup and European Championship).
• Antoine Griezmann grew to become the primary French participant to supply two assists in a knockout spherical recreation of the World Cup since Dominique Rocheteau towards Italy in 1986 (spherical of 16).
• Kane grew to become the primary participant to each rating and miss a penalty in a World Cup match since Michal Bilek for Czechoslovakia towards USA in 1990.
• Hugo Lloris made his 143rd look for France, changing into probably the most capped participant within the senior French males’s facet.