FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: France become first team to reach last 16

Gulf News

Kylian Mbappe scored twice for France as the defending champions laid down a marker by beating Denmark to become the first team into the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 knockout stage. The 23-year-old forward, France's youngest scorer in the competition, stole the show once again with second-half strikes to take his side through. Meanwhile, Poland beat Saudi Arabia to ignite their campaign. Gulf News football experts discus the day’s action and look ahead to tomorrow’s key fixtures.  See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km  Subscribe to Gulf News on YouTube and watch more of our videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/GulfNewsTV  #UAEnews #Qatar #WorldCup

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00:00This is Golf News kicking back. I'm joined by Sharm and Nick to discuss the day's action

00:15where Robert Lewandowski scored his first World Cup goal as Poland earned a crucial

00:20win over Saudi Arabia that leaves Group C wide open. Now Poland ran out two nil winners

00:26but Sharm, Saudi Arabia will feel I think very disappointed for not getting something

00:31from this match. They created so many chances and of course they missed that first half

00:35penalty as well didn't they? You're spot on Nimran. Actually Saudi Arabia ran the game

00:42for the better part of it. In fact at several points or several phases of the match you

00:50see all the Poland players in their half. Such was the Saudi dominance. But I kind

01:01of felt that they didn't have the same intensity as the Argentina match because they were not

01:07taking too many first timers and also they were losing the ball far too easily in the

01:12last or the final third of the pitch really. But still I think Saudi Arabia made a good

01:22fight and they gave a good account of themselves and they can be very proud of their performance.

01:28Yeah they certainly can be proud but Nick when you've won a penalty kick like they did

01:34and obviously the only person who was going to take that penalty was Salim Al Dasri who

01:41scored that screamer against Argentina. There's only going to be one man. He put the ball

01:45down but do you know what he didn't look very confident. I think there was a long time between

01:49the penalty kick actually being taken to when he put the ball down. Do you think the pressure

01:56got to him obviously there? It wasn't the best of penalties, it was a decent save by

01:59Chesney but he should have scored that shouldn't he? Well firstly I'm not sure if it was a

02:05penalty. If those knocks are going to create a penalty we're going to have so many penalties

02:12going forward. I can't believe a brush of the leg and he's hit by a gunshot from the

02:19stands or whatever. He just died. And something to look forward to, look at moving forward.

02:27Slow motion always makes it look worse but unless you're Messi surely you've got to just

02:33hit it hard. Put the laces through because it was a lightweight penalty but what a great

02:42save from the follow-up by the way. Hit it hard and then it's got a better chance. At the moment

02:48goalies seem to have a 50-50 chance at times with a decent dive one way or the other but put the

02:54laces through it. That's my recommendation. I agree. I just love a well-struck penalty

03:01into the roof of the net. I don't like all this nonsense when the players are eyeing the goalkeepers

03:05waiting for them to move first and then just rolling the ball just straight down the middle

03:09normally. Oftentimes players end up missing like we saw today. Lewandowski missed a penalty

03:16against Mexico the other day but today he was finally on the score sheet. That's his very first

03:20goal for Poland. He's got 77 international goals but he was clearly very emotional with that goal.

03:27Nick, we've been talking about players like Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Harry Kane before the

03:33World Cup tournament started. We weren't really talking about Lewandowski because Poland aren't

03:38really that strong a team to win it but he's off and running now and we all know what a threat

03:43he is in front of goal. Do you think he can lead the team into the last 16? Of course Poland

03:50are strong. It's all coming to that third match of the group as has proved. You've got to

03:56play your three rounds so don't get excited with one game or whatever. I think Poland have got a

04:02decent chance. I don't think they quite deserved a 2-0 win against Saudi. Saudi were strong,

04:10give them credit, but there's some momentum there for Poland so let's wait for their next match.

04:17They're in a great position now. They're on four points. It's in their own hands.

04:21They're unbeaten now and they're opening two World Cup games for the first time since I think

04:26the 1986 tournament. Sharm, they're not a spectacular team, we know that, but they're

04:30quietly going about their business, aren't they? No, I beg to disagree there simply because

04:38I didn't find them impressive at all. If you look at them, they got the

04:43first goal in and then narrowly escaped being equalised and if you look at that Lewandowski goal,

04:50it's a huge defensive blunder, isn't it? Otherwise you wouldn't have got it.

04:55Abdul-Malik, you didn't see him lurking behind or not just that, he failed to stop the ball

05:01and handing it on a platter to Lewandowski and of course, to Lewandowski's credit,

05:07he's used to worrying these kind of goals. You don't give that kind of goals with the

05:11balls to Lewandowski. But constructively, the game, their linkages were hardly what you call

05:25imaginative or I think it's just basically partly due to Saudi Arabia's inexperience,

05:30they were able to get their way. But the kind of dominance that Saudi had,

05:34I think Poland were lucky to get away with the win today.

05:38Yeah, now look, Saudi Arabia, they're still in a good position having won their very first game.

05:43They know if they beat Mexico in their last game, they're going to make it to the round of 16.

05:48I personally believe that they can do that. I've been very impressed with them,

05:52not with the technical side of the game, just purely with their heart and their desire and

05:56their spirit, their fighting spirit. They never give in. Nick, do you think that they're good

06:02enough to get out of the group? I'd like to think so. It's the

06:06passion we saw in the match one. Let's see the next match and when the third match of each league

06:15comes up, it's do or die. So there's been a bit of defensive play throughout all the groups,

06:22but when it's the last match, do or die, they're going to go for it. Let's wish them luck. They've

06:27had a great victory over Argentina and let's wish them all the best in their final group match.

06:35Yeah, that would be good. Let's see how they get on. Right, so all to play for in Group C.

06:39Meanwhile, tonight in Group D, the match has just finished between France and Denmark.

06:43France were bidding to become the first team to book their place in the knockout stages of the

06:48World Cup. Denmark had beaten them twice actually this year, as I mentioned the other day in the

06:54Nations League, but France have won the latest battle by two goals to one and it was that man

06:59killing Mbappé again, who did all the damage, as he did the other day against Australia in that

07:034-1 win. He got two goals today. Sean, they're becoming a bit of a one-man team, aren't they,

07:10France with Mbappé? I would say it would seem so, but the plus point there is every time Mbappé

07:18got the ball, he looked like scoring. You know, it was almost like the days of Cristiano Ronaldo

07:26and Lionel Messi in their prime. Every time he got the ball, you knew that something was going

07:33to happen. So that is the kind of impact he had. But you are absolutely right, Giroud was

07:39completely off-colour and rightly so, he was substituted. So also the rest of the guys, even

07:51who replaced him here, he also didn't seem to do well, the new striker there. And Griezmann,

07:58as usual, has been having a very quiet attempt. I believe he went through 10 matches without

08:03scoring, but I think he did some spade work for our friend and I think he was instrumental for

08:09the second goal as well. So Griezmann is doing all right, but like you said, scoring-wise,

08:13they're completely or totally reliant on Kylian Mbappé, but France will have a problem the day

08:20when Mbappé have it, the day of. That's a very good point there, Sean. Nick, look,

08:26we know Mbappé was one of the stars of the World Cup in 2018 in Russia. He's already got three

08:32goals now and one assist and he's got to be fancying his chances of winning that golden boot

08:37now, surely, won't he? He's only 23 years old, you know, following his goal against, in the first

08:46match against Australia, wasn't it? The 4-1 win and then the two today. He's quite an athlete,

08:56he can easily be not only the golden boot winner, but the star of the tournament, I think. I'm a

09:04huge fan and he's working well with Griezmann and it's not just, in my opinion, a one-man show. It

09:10needs support, it needs team influence to put him in that position and to me, so far, Mbappé is the

09:19star. But, you know, only two games gone, they need seven to win, so a long way to go, but Mbappé

09:26is certainly mine to watch so far. He's doing really well, but keep a look out for Giroud,

09:33he needs one more goal to become France's all-time top goalscorer. He's level right now with Thierry

09:39Henry, he was substituted today, he didn't really have much of an impact, but going forward you can

09:43clearly see Giroud's probably going to get his nose in front. Let's have a quick chat about

09:50yesterday's late game, England against the USA. A lot was expected of Gareth Southgate's team

09:56after they dismantled Iran 6-2 in their first match, but to be honest, I had a feeling this

10:02would be their first real test. Iran really didn't put up much of a fight, the Americans certainly

10:07did and I think, you know, we got away with that to be honest, Nick. I mean, it was a nil-nil draw

10:11in the end, but the closest that the two teams came was when Pulisic had that shot which hit

10:17the crossbar, could have lost that very easily 1-0. I mean, I don't think it was the right team

10:23selection, I've written about this already today, you know, we had that game against Iran just a

10:28few days earlier, it was a good chance to give the likes of Foden, Grealish, even Henderson, you know,

10:33starting positions in the team and rest people like Sterling and maybe even Kane could have had

10:39a little rest and Declan Rice, I think, probably should have had a little rest, but what did you

10:44make of that performance yesterday, Nick? Disappointing, wasn't it, really? Very much, maybe Southgate wanted

10:50to keep that momentum, that energy, but it just wasn't there, but a draw against US, it still puts

10:57us obviously in prime position with Wales to play and the final game, but it was disappointing.

11:05Southgate tried to put a positive on it, I think he was the only one who kind of felt that way,

11:11but credit to the USA, you know, they delivered well and we're okay, you know, a draw is a

11:19draw, keep that momentum going and we've still got the England shirt behind you,

11:25flying high, Emran. I'll stay up there, Nick, no worries. Listen, Sham, America have got two draws now,

11:32they drew 1-1 against Wales, they were unlucky there, they conceded a late penalty, which Gareth Bale

11:37tucked away and yesterday against England, they were the better team, I mean, they could be on

11:41six points right now, they're on two, they've got to play Iran in their last match, it's going to be

11:46an interesting battle, do you think they can make the last 16? I think they can put it past Iran,

11:54on the strength of yesterday's performance, I think they have it in them to beat Iran,

11:59but Iran likely signed up the second game, they have improved a lot and they are quite,

12:05they'll be quite a challenge, but I still think USA will win 1-0 against Iran.

12:14Oh, 1-0 win, tight battle it seems, all right, let's see, right, tomorrow we've got four more games,

12:20a couple of very interesting ones because of purely the first round of fixtures,

12:24Japan are playing Costa Rica, now we probably wouldn't have even talked about this game,

12:29but because Japan have caused one of the biggest surprises of the World Cup by beating Germany

12:34and because Costa Rica were so poor against Spain, they lost 7-0, how do you boys see this

12:39one going, Nick, Japan and Costa Rica, do you fancy the Japanese? Of course, Japan had a great

12:45victory in the first of their group matches and I can see, you know, it's the other match that's

12:53more dynamic, Germany, that you'll touch on in a minute, they need a win, but I think Japan can

13:00get their second win and that takes them through, correct? Yeah, Sham, do you think Japan will,

13:07well, they'll be full of confidence after they beat Germany, completely unexpected result,

13:11but they'll be playing Costa Rica who are going to be, you know, in a really low ebb, having

13:16conceded so many goals, I mean, in a World Cup game you're losing 4-0, 3-0, 4-0, you know,

13:22you just try to shut shop and not concede any more, but they let 7-0 in, the morale must be

13:28really low and they'd be probably quite nervous about facing Japan tomorrow after the way they

13:33played against Germany, wouldn't they? It could work both ways, Imran, simply because Costa Rica

13:40lost 7-0, I mean, that means their morale would be very, very bad, but on the other hand,

13:48this is also an opportunity to show them that they are better than that and that this is just

13:54an off day, but they are running into Japan who are high on confidence, so that is going to be

14:02an explosive encounter, I think, but I think Japan might be able to win this 2-0 or 2-1.

14:09That should be a very good one, but yeah, as Nick just said, the big one of tomorrow,

14:12it's Spain against Germany, now Spain, as you've just said, have scored 7-0 in the first game,

14:17they've got a brand new young team doing really well. Germany have also got a new-look team,

14:23also quite young, but they've lost their first one and if they lose tomorrow, they're going to

14:28be out of the World Cup again, Shaan, do you think? Are they facing another early elimination

14:33from the World Cup, just like they did in Russia four years ago? I think that will spill into the

14:40third game of the group, simply because, okay, Spain won 7-0, Germany lost first match,

14:47but I will never ever write a German song.

14:54Because for times without number, I have seen them come back in the World Cup and the Euros,

14:59they have come back from the dead several times. So, I mean, you look at 74 against

15:05Johan Cruyff's team and when they conceded in the very first minute, they came back and

15:10won that final. And that was the tournament, they lost the first match against East Germany.

15:15So, these are instances which show the fighting spirit or the never-say-die spirit of the

15:24German at that point of time. Not just that, in 1986, I think, not 86, it was Mexico,

15:35where Mexico, where was it, no, they lost against, no, not just that, I'm getting the years mixed up,

15:43they lost, no, even 86, yeah, 86, they lost to Algeria in the first game, 2-1, and then they

15:50reached the final where they lost to Italy and the Polo Rossi in the final. So, these are instances

15:56which tell you that you could never write these Germans off. I mean, I can tell you a lot more

16:00instances where Germany and Israel come back. Even the Maradona's German, Argentina, when they

16:07beat them 3-2, they were up 3-0, I think, at one point of time. And Karl-Heinz Rummenigge came

16:13back and the margin came down to 2-2 and before they won 3-2. So, and I think, if I remember right,

16:23I'm not too sure whether it's been an extra time, I'm not too sure. But again, that is another

16:27instance of Germany coming back from the dead. So, I will never, ever write Germany off. But

16:35tomorrow's game against Spain, I think it will be much more close, much close. And my prediction for

16:40that game would be a 1-1 draw. Oh, a draw, going for a draw. Nick, what do you reckon?

16:47A win, lose or draw for Germany? Well, it's the game of the day and it's when the World Cup comes

16:53alive where people are going home. But I think Spain would like to see Germany go home, one of

17:01the pre-favourites, one of the stalwarts of the World Cup. And I see Spain, it's a late one, we

17:09all got to watch it. So, I go for Spain by the odd goal. Oh, I've also got a sneaky feeling that

17:16Spain are looking quite good, but to have chances, you can't write off the Germans.

17:20There's two more games tomorrow, Belgium against Morocco and Croatia against Canada.

17:23We're going to be back tomorrow night to see how all the teams got on. In the meantime,

17:26head to gulfnews.com for all the latest news and catch us on our social media channels.

17:31That's all from us. We'll see you tomorrow. Good night.

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