Harry Kane scored one penalty but missed the crucial second
(Picture: Getty Images)England suffered World Cup heartbreak as France edged past them with a 2-1 victory in a dramatic World Cup quarter-final.
Aurelien Tchouameni put the defending champions in front in the first-half, before Harry Kane levelled things up from the spot shortly after the break, the Three Lions looking the better team.
But Olivier Giroud restored France’s lead with just over ten minutes, and while Kane had the chance to equalise with a second penalty, he blazed the spot-kick over the bar.
France’s World Cup defence goes on to a semi-final clash with Morocco, but for England it will be reflection on another major tournament where they have impressed but ultimately fallen short.
Both sides went with the same starting XI that saw them through the last-16, as Gareth Southgate stuck with a back-four system for England’s toughest test of the tournament.
The Three Lions made a confident start, a couple of early efforts blocked, though neither side was able to take full control.
France took the lead with 17 minutes played, England perhaps hard done by in the build-up. Bukayo Saka appeared to be fouled but play was waved on, allowing Les Blues to counter. Declan Rice was unable to stop Kylian Mbappe, the ball came back to Tchouameni and he fired a strike from distance into the bottom corner.
England responded well, with Kane having a couple of efforts saved by Hugo Lloris. The Three Lions captain could well have had a penalty when Dayot Upamecano brought him down right on the edge of the area, but first the referee and then VAR deemed it not to be a spot-kick.
Southgate’s side did get their penalty, nine minutes after the restart, as Saka was tripped by Tchouameni. Kane was made to wait but, up against his club team-mate, was ruthless from 12 yards.
It was England who looked more likely to edge in front, France pinned back for much of the half, but Les Blues who restored their advantage with 12 minutes remaining. Antoine Griezmann whipped in a superb cross, and Giroud got across his man at the near post to head home.
Mason Mount was introduced and he was barged over in the box by a crazy shove from Theo Hernandez, the referee somehow not pointing to the spot. VAR corrected that mistake, Kane given the opportunity to equalise once more, but on this occasion he could not find the target.
England were unable to bounce back from that blow, though Marcus Rashford went close with a free-kick in the 100th minute, as they saw their World Cup ended in painful fashion.
