Reigning world champions France tackle an unbeaten England in a heavyweight quarter-final matchup.
Who: England vs France
The place: Al Bayt Stadium
When: December 10, 10pm (19:00 GMT)
Expectations will weigh heavy on the present world champions France as they head into this high-profile quarter-final matchup towards an unbeaten England facet that has scored 12 objectives in 4 video games and conceded solely two.
Nevertheless, if any group can break this spectacular file, it must be France, who brushed apart a spirited Poland within the final 16 after a rampant Kylian Mbappe produced one other classic World Cup efficiency.
England must give you a plan to comprise the in-form and motivated 23-year-old who whipped in a brace to convey his 2022 World Cup tally to 5 objectives and admitted after the match that profitable the match had turn out to be an “obsession”.
Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembélé and Antoine Griezmann additionally loved glorious performances, linking up nicely and outplaying Poland for giant components of the sport. Giroud’s aim towards the Poles made him France’s all-time high scorer, with 52 objectives. However Griezmann with 42 and Mbappe with 33 additionally determine amongst France’s high seven goal-scorers ever — a sign of the once-in-a-generation pedigree that England will face.
However England will convey their very own thrilling steadiness of expertise and younger expertise to the pitch. Manchester Metropolis’s Phil Foden, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham have all produced effective performances to this point this match. Raheem Sterling, who scored in England’s 6-2 win over Iran, has additionally returned to Qatar after leaving the squad final weekend following a break-in at his residence.
Other than a lacklustre goalless draw towards the USA, England have seemed in cruise management for many of their World Cup marketing campaign. After a ropey opening third, England brushed apart Senegal 3-0 within the spherical of 16 and can head into the quarter-final excessive on confidence.
England supervisor Gareth Southgate has warned towards complacency forward of the match, saying, “By way of France, it’s the largest take a look at we may face.”
France have conceded in all 4 matches to this point, together with a 1-0 loss to Tunisia of their remaining group-stage sport. True, France had already certified for the spherical of 16 and fielded a weakened group. Nonetheless, the Eagles of Carthage uncovered a vulnerability in France’s defence that England’s forwards will look to use.
There’s little to decide on between the edges by way of FIFA rating — France are at the moment positioned fourth with England in fifth. England gained each their earlier two World Cup conferences in 1966 and 1982.
Extra lately, coaches Gareth Southgate and Didier Deschamps confronted one another in a world pleasant in 2017. It was an in depth affair, with Harry Kane grabbing a brace for England earlier than Mbappe and Dembélé produced a effective second-half efficiency that may see France as eventual 3-2 winners.
Every of these gamers is anticipated to play a key function for his or her sides on Saturday, in what guarantees to be a mouthwatering contest. Either side made it to the semi-finals in 2018. This time, just one will.
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