The French team had no problems in the match with Poland

The French team confidently started the playoffs of the World Cup in Qatar. Frankly speaking, even before the game it was difficult to imagine the Poles as winners: their game does not differ in discipline or courage. And Lewandowski is, of course, an argument, but not against a team in which everyone is Lewandowski for himself.

Wards Didier Deschamps started the game cheerfully and seized the advantage. Already in the fourth minute, Rafael Varan dangerously hit his head after a corner kick, but the ball flew higher. Then the French filed three more corners in three minutes. The Poles were wrong, as for their opponent, he clearly felt his own strength and was ready to add at any moment. Nevertheless, the game was calm enough - even Kylian Mbappe did not include sufficient speeds.

At the 30th minute, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele finally designed a goal attack, who shot to the far post, and Olivier Giroud inexplicably missed point-blank range on the empty gate. The Poles almost punished the French for this oversight: in the 38th minute, a cross found Piotr Zelinsky in the center of the penalty area, who hit the goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, the ball flew back to Zelinsky, he again kissed and hit the defender. Another blow followed – and now Varan knocked the ball off the front line.

Apparently, the French were impressed by this episode, and in the 44th minute they opened the scoring: Kylian Mbappe gave the left into the penalty area, where Giroud earned the ball and accurately shot into the far corner. Thanks to this ball, Olivier became the best scorer in the history of the French national team, ahead of Thierry Henry.

The reigning world champions began the second half with a clear desire to increase the score: first, after Mbappe’s strike and a rebound from Grzegorz Krychowiak, the ball flew near the bar, and then Giroux scored with an overhand kick - but before that, Wojciech Szczesny collided with Varan, and for some reason a whistle followed, although Rafael did not commit any fouls.

As a result, the second goal of the “roosters” had to wait another seventeen minutes: Giroud, Dembele and Mbappe figured out for three, playing a three-on-three attack, and Kylian put the ball under the crossbar. He also distinguished himself in the first stoppage minute: having received the ball on the left edge of the penalty area, he shot into the far upper corner.

And yet, the defeat did not work out: the ball hit the hand of the French defender, and a penalty was awarded to Lloris. Lewandowski came up to the “point”, ran up, stopped, at that moment Hugo jumped off the front line – and in a moment parried the blow. But because of this dismount, the 11-meter had to be interrupted - and this time Robert was accurate.

The French had a good match, and even saved their strength for future matches. So far, Deschamps' team looks to be the most solid in this tournament. And the Poles, without showing anything interesting, except for a decent game of Szczesny, go home.

Match protocol

France - Poland - 3:1 (1:0).
December 4th. Doha. El Thumama Stadium.
Referee - Valenzuela (Venezuela).
France: Lloris, Kunde (Disasi 90), Varane, Upamecano, Hernandez, Rabiot, Tchouameni (Fofana 66), Giroud (Thuram 76), Griezmann, Dembele (Coman 76), Mbappe.
Poland: Szczesny, Cash, Glick, Kiver (Bednarek, 87), Bereszynski, Kaminski (Zalewski, 71), Frankowski (Grosicki, 87), Krychowiak (Belik, 71), Zeliński, Shimanski (Milik, 64), Lewandowski.
Goals: 1:0 Giroud (44), 2:0 Mbappe (74), 3:0 Mbappe (90+1), 3:1 Lewandowski (90+9 pen.).
Booked: Tchuameni (31), Bereshinskiy (47), Cash (88).