Al Bayt Stadium:Deju vu once more. Once again England have fallen short as they exited the World Cup in a simply agonising quarter-final loss. But this time, against the world champions France, it felt very different.
They were not outplayed. They did not retreat. Instead, they lost a game that they should have won, which they deserved to win and which will sear into Harry Kane – Harry Kane of all people – who missed the penalty kick that would have forced extra time. He missed the penalty that would have confirmed him as England’s all-time record scorer, with 54 goals, one ahead of Wayne Rooney. As he missed, the television cameras cut to Kylian Mbappé with a huge grin on his face.
Harry Kane blazes his spot kick over the bar.Credit:Getty
It felt incredibly cruel after a superb performance laced with controversy, also, with a series of decisions going against England: who should have had a foul in France’s first goal, who should have had another penalty, who should have played against 10-men with Theo Hernandez somehow not sent off.
Should have. Could have. Would have.
Gareth Southgate had said whatever happened “the sun will still rise tomorrow”. It will, but it will feel bleak for England, for Kane, for their cruelly robbed fans and for Southgate also as we await to see whether this is his last game in charge of England or whether he will go on to the next European Championships in 2024.
It will also not be lost on Southgate that Kane now joins him in the list of players who have missed decisive England penalties. It felt brutal.
Gareth Southgate consoles Kane at full-time.Credit:AP
History was already made with it being the first meeting between these two grand soccer powers in the knockout stages of a major finals; the first meeting in a tournament, in fact, since the World Cup in 1982.
Not that reminders were needed. Not that resonance of rivalry was required.
The stakes were abundantly clear and there was a heavy air of expectancy as the national anthems struck up. It felt big. It was big and France sent out a reminder from kick-off, not that it was required either, of who their main man was with Aurelien Tchouameni immediately launching a searching pass towards Mbappé. Kyle Walker quickly intercepted and such was his force that he burst the ball with his studs.
The two French players were then soon involved in taking some of the air out of England’s dreams. It was not without controversy, though, as there was a clear foul on Bukayo Saka down by the touchline by Dayot Upamecano as he regained possession.
Olivier Giroud celebrates the winning goal.Credit:Getty
But, astonishingly, the Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio played on, with the centre-half striding forward and feeding Mbappé. He exchanged passes with Tchouameni and when Declan Rice, who had started well, failed to halt Mbappé, England were suddenly in trouble. He offloaded to Ousmane Dembele who found Antoine Griezmann. Tchouameni was teed up and the midfielder whipped a powerful low shot from 25 yards through Jude Bellingham’s legs, as he tried to close him down, and beyond Jordan Pickford’s grasp. For the first time in this tournament, England were behind.
They responded well, really well, with Kane turning Upamecano and bearing down on goal. Hugo Lloris rushed out, Kane tried to lift the ball over him with the outside of his right boot, but it struck the goalkeeper’s left elbow as he dived and rebounded away.
Moments later there was a long VAR check after Kane went down just inside the penalty area. He had been caught by Upamecano, who kicked his right leg and it looked obvious but, again, the decision went against England with no penalty given. And so they threatened once more with Kane taking aim from 20 yards and almost catching out Lloris, who pushed it away.
If anything France’s goal had settled England. Until then, Rice apart, their passing had been tentative. Now they were galvanised and angry and Griezmann, who set the French press, was committing foul after foul without being cautioned. Finally he was yellow-carded after tripping Walker. But it was getting blatant.
Aurelien Tchouameni opens the scoring for France.Credit:Getty
“Allez les Bleus,” chanted the French fans and their team sent a reminder of the threat they posed with a well-worked free-kick that ended with Mbappé being given a sight of goal. He blazed over the crossbar before there was more bizarre behaviour from the referee as he stopped play after Bellingham had won a clean tackle against Theo Hernandez. Little wonder England players argued with him as they walked off at half-time.
By now Southgate had abandoned his usual custom during this tournament of staying in his dugout seat. He was out in his technical area as England drove at France again from the restart, with Saka leading the charge, cutting across Tchouameni, who tripped him. This time the penalty was given. And, my, did Kane have ice in his veins. He took his time, he even respotted the ball and he drove unerringly past his Tottenham Hotspur teammate Lloris to draw England level. It was the least they deserved, although they were quickly indebted to Pickford, who repelled a low shot from Adrien Rabiot as he ran at him after pouncing on an error.
England needed to regroup, settle and concentrate. They were back in this. But it was France’s turn to respond as it became more even and the nerves really began to shred.
It looked like Pickford had saved England when he superbly parried a volley from Olivier Giroud, but the striker was not to be denied as France worked the ball wide with Griezmann crossing. Giroud challenged Harry Maguire and the ball flew past Pickford, off the defender’s shoulder as the striker also claimed it.
How would England respond? On came substitute Mason Mount with Hernandez foolishly barging into him as they ran onto a long ball. There was another VAR check with, this time, the penalty given. England demanded a red card for Hernandez, who made no attempt to play the ball, but instead he was cautioned. Kane stepped up but, this time, he blazed his penalty high over the bar.
The Telegraph, London
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