Qatar World Cup 2022 Day 15: France beat Poland 3-1, England to play African champions Senegal

Qatar World Cup 2022 Day 15: France beat Poland 3-1, England to play African champions Senegal
Which two teams will join Argentina and the Netherlands in the World Cup quarter-finals?
5 min read
04 December, 2022
[The New Arab]

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Two more quarter-final places for the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar were to be decided on Sunday, day 15 of the tournament.

Defending champions France looked comfortable in their 3-1 win over Poland.

Olivier Giroud now holds the record for goals scored for France after he put France 1-0 ahead in the first half. Kylian Mbappe continued his impressive World Cup run with two goals in the second half.

At 10pm Doha time (7pm GMT), Senegal, who have played impressively despite the loss of talisman Sadio Mane to injury on the eve of the tournament, will be hoping to score an upset against a confident-looking England side.

Senegal are one of two African teams left in the tournament. The other, Morocco, will take on Spain for a place in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

5:50 PM
The New Arab Staff

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5:05 PM
The New Arab Staff

Full-time: France 3-1 Poland

France coast into the quarter-finals, where they will face the victor of the England v Senegal match that kicks off at 10pm Doha time (7pm GMT).

Mbappe scored twice in a stellar performance at the Al Thumama Stadium [AFP via Getty]
4:57 PM
The New Arab Staff

France 3-1 Poland

Robert Lewandowski puts away a penalty for Poland in the last seconds of the match.

His first attempt at the penalty was saved by Hugo Lloris, but a retake was ordered as the veteran French goalkeeper edged beyond the goalline ahead of Lewandowski's strike.

The Polish forward made the chance count the second time around.

4:49 PM
The New Arab Staff

France 3-0 Poland

Mbappe curls the ball into the top corner to get his second goal of the match with just a few minutes of injury time left.

4:33 PM
The New Arab Staff

France 2-0 Poland

Kylian Mbappe - who is just 23 years old -  scores his eighth World Cup tournament goal to double France's lead. 

3:49 PM
The New Arab Staff

Half-time France 1-0 Poland

Olivier Giroud became France's most prolific goalscorer when he put The Blues ahead close to the half-time whistle.

Poland have put up a spirited fight so far - will they be able to persevere in the second half?

2:32 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris equals France cap record 

Hugo Lloris wins a record-equalling 142nd cap for France as he captains the holders in their World Cup last-16 clash with Poland.

The Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper equals the all-time record held by 1998 World Cup-winning full-back Lilian Thuram.

Elsewhere on the French team, Olivier Giroud will move clear of Thierry Henry as France's all-time top scorer if he scores against Poland.

Lloris will win his 142nd cap for France in today's match against Poland [AFP via Getty]
1:50 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Hospitalised football icon Pele says he's 'strong, with a lot of hope'

Brazilian football legend Pele said on Saturday that he feels "strong, with a lot of hope" despite medical problems that have kept the 82-year-old sports icon in the hospital with a respiratory infection.

Pele, widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, was hospitalised earlier this week amid ongoing colon cancer treatments.

"My friends, I want to keep everyone calm and positive," Pele said in an Instagram post. "I'm strong, with a lot of hope and I follow my treatment as usual."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Pelé (@pele)

Doctors treating Pele said earlier Saturday that the Brazilian legend remained "stable," with his condition not having deteriorated over the last day.

Doctors made no reference to media reports earlier on Saturday that the three-time World Cup winner was receiving end-of-life care.

1:10 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Ex-Arsenal coach Wenger takes swipe at World Cup teams 'focused on demonstrations'

Arsene Wenger said on Sunday that teams who focused on football rather than "political demonstrations" fared better in the opening round at the World Cup.

The former Arsenal manager - who is now working for FIFA as its head of global football development - made the remark unprompted during a press conference looking at trends during the now-concluded group stage.

"When you go to a World Cup you know you must not lose the first game," said the 73-year-old, saying teams with World Cup experience such as holders France won their opening matches.

Wenger then added: "And the teams as well who were mentally ready, who had the mindset to focus on the competition and not on political demonstrations."

Germany's players covered their mouths for the team photo before their opening match against Japan in protest at FIFA's refusal to allow the captains of seven European sides to wear rainbow-themed armbands.

The four-time champions lost the game 2-1 and eventually exited in the group stages.

Germany captain Manuel Neuer was among the skippers who had planned to wear rainbow-themed armbands to promote diversity, but abandoned the initiative after FIFA threatened their teams with sporting sanctions.

12:50 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Poland coach eyes France upset

Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz believes his side can go on to lift the World Cup trophy if they get past defending champions France in their last-16 tie.

The Poles reached the knockout rounds of the World Cup for the first time since 1986, after scraping through on goal difference from Group C despite a 2-0 loss to Argentina in their final game.

"We're very happy to play the world champions," Michniewicz said.

"France are not already guaranteed to advance. Everything's to play for, you win or go home and the stakes are high."

The Poland coach said he had been unable to pinpoint weak points in France's "wonderful team".

"We believe we will play a good game but we know it's a huge challenge ahead of us," he said. "We want to show the world we can play football."

Michniewicz said it had been hard to find flaws in the French team [Anadolu via Getty]