The Blues spin in the quarters thanks to a record Giroud and a fabulous Mbappé

From our Special Envoy in Doha,

Faced with a weak Poland (as expected), the French team did the job in the round of 16 on Sunday afternoon, without really shaking, apart from a small slump in the first period, proof that there are still things to settle to dream of a title on December 18th. For the rest, the attack unfolds, Olivier Giroud overtook Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappé will not be long in joining him and overtaking him, him the author of a new double in this World Cup.

Giroud chose his moment well

It was at 4:44 p.m. French time, from the Al Thumama stadium, in the eastern suburbs of Doha, that Olivier Giroud definitively entered the great history of the France team. With a look, he seeks the camera and makes a five and a two with his hands. Yes, 5 and 2, 52, like his 52nd goal in Blue, which places him at the top of the ranking of tricolor scorers, thus surpassing Thierry Henry and his thirteen-year-old record.

If, at this moment, after a more “Giroud’s style” goal, you die – two touches of the ball, on the verge of offside, control and cross shot from the left side netting – we wanted to hug him tightly, we don’t forget that we went to that of strangling him a few minutes earlier. After a loss of ball from Bereszynski, the French indeed found themselves playing a four against two, Griezmann launching Dembélé on the right side, the latter serving Giroud in the axis for a ready-made goal that the number 9 managed to crunch on don’t know how. Even if there was (it seems) offside for Dembouz ‘at the start of the action, we do not miss such a gift Olivier! Especially when faced with a Polish cement mixer like that.

Scares (still) in the first period

We expected Lewandowski’s teammates not to chew on us, we expected less on the other hand to shiver so much (and it was not the fault of the air conditioning for once) in defense. At least for ten big minutes at the end of the first period, when the score was still 0 to 0. The Blues indeed took several waves in the muzzle and showed a certain lightness in the pressing. And if we can thank Lloris on this alert rescue in Malibu after this scud from near Zielinski (38th), then Varane on his line in stride on a shot from Kmainski, we will still remember that it all started with a pass outrageous from the French goalkeeper directly into touch.

His second of the match, after a first scare at the start of the game. And we talk about these foam hands on an aerial exit not really dangerous on paper? It passes against Poland, it will perhaps pass less in the next round as long as we pay for England and its offensive armada. On arrival, the French captain could have made up for it by stopping Lewandowski’s peno (for butter) for the first time at the end of the match, before the referee asked to withdraw it and this time he was caught opposite foot.

Kyky takes care of everything

One under the bar on the right, one in the skylight on the left, thank you, good evening, it was Kylian Mbappé ladies and gentlemen. All in a quarter of an hour, the last of course, the one he prefers, the one where the great players come out of the woodwork to bring the common man back to their miserable lambda status. The number 10 tricolor has once again marked this World Cup 2022 with its elephant footprint in the sand of the Qatari desert, and we feel that this is still only the beginning.

Here he is now at five goals, responding to Leo Messi, author of a goal the day before against Australia, and ending up leaving everyone in his rear view mirror to land alone at the top of the scoring charts. The worst part of all this is that the Parisian, who gives off an impression of ease, as if he were playing in the playground, gives us the feeling of keeping some under the shoe. Long live the sequel.

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