Olivier Giroud in contrast France’s tense 2022 World Cup quarter-final win over England to their semi-final victory towards Belgium 4 years in the past.
France scraped previous the Three Lions 2-1 at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday, with Giroud’s deflected header in the end the distinction.
Aurelien Tchouameni had fired the world champions forward, however England responded strongly and levelled by means of a Harry Kane penalty.
Gareth Southgate’s facet might need equalised a second time following Giroud’s aim, just for Kane to fireside a second spot-kick over the crossbar.
Victory sends France by means of to a semi-final towards shock package deal Morocco, with Didier Deschamps’ facet trying like favourites to retain their crown.
However this tie confirmed how laborious it’s to win the World Cup, with Giroud reminded of a 1-0 defeat of Belgium in Russia.
“The match tonight reminded of the match towards Belgium in 2018,” Giroud informed a information convention. “We fought tooth and nail.
“They got here again into the match, began to consider, however we confirmed we might be harmful on the counter-attack.
-8 – France fired 8 fewer pictures than England (8 tried, 16 confronted), their highest differential in a serious event win (World Cup + EURO) since Opta started analyzing these competitions (1966). Resilience. #ENGFRA pic.twitter.com/WwvEDshiAj
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) December 10, 2022
“We have been a bit fortunate as a result of Kane misses the penalty, however we gave our all and fought tooth and nail. It jogs my memory of the mentality of 2018. This group deserves to get there.”
Giroud had equalled after which handed Thierry Henry’s France objectives document earlier within the finals.
“All objectives are necessary,” he added. “The very fact is I went forward of Thierry Henry with the 52nd, however this 53rd is maybe even higher.
“A minute earlier than, I had an opportunity and I may have scored. I believed I’d get one other likelihood, and it was unbelievable to attain.”