Reigning champions France begin their knockout stage challenge at the 2022 FIFA World Cup against Poland at Al Thumma Stadium.
Wins against Australia and Denmark were enough to send them through as Les Bleus finished top of their group, despite losing their final game to Tunisia.
Poland’s progress was a bit more complicated: Robert Lewandowski helped them beat Saudi Arabia after a draw with Mexico, but a poor performance against Argentina saw them lose 2-0 on matchday three, and they reached the last 16 on goal difference alone, as Mexico. Defeating Saudi Arabia 2-1 was not enough for second place in Group C.
France vs Poland latest score
| Team | 1H | 2H | Final |
| France | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Poland | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Goals:
FRA – Olivier Giroud – 43 min
FRA – Kylian Mbappé – 74 min
FRA – Kylian Mbappé – 89 min
POL — Lewandowski – 96 mins
Confirmed lineups:
France Lineup (4-3-3, Right to Left): 1. Lloris (GK) — 5. Kaunde, 4. Varane, 18. Upamecano, 22. T. Hernandez — 7. Griezmann, 8. Chaumeni, 14. Rabiot — 11. Dembele, 9. Giroud, 10. Mbappe
Poland’s lineup (3-4-2-1, right to left): 1. Szczesny (GK) — 2. Cash, 15. Glick, 14. Kiwior, 18. Bereszinsky — 20. Zielinski, 19. Szymanski, 10. Krychowiak, 24. Frankowski – 13. Kaminski, 9. Lewandowski
France vs Poland Live Updates, 2022 World Cup Highlights
Full-time: France passes, and Poland exit in muted style.
97 minutes: Goal! Robert Lewandowski beat Hugo Lloris for the consolation penalty.
96 min: Lewandowski’s effort is saved by Lloris! But the referee says to take it again as Lloris was off his line!
95 min: There’s a VAR check for a handball against Upamecano, and it’s a given!
93 min: Arkadiusz Milik tries an overhead kick in the six-yard area – it’s blocked and would have been offside, but a good effort anyway.
89 mins: GOOAALLLL!!! 3-0! Kylian Mbappe again!
This incredible player moves the ball onto his right foot and shoots over the top to Wojciech Szczesny who gets a fingertip on the ball but not enough to stop a superb goal.
88 min: Thuram tackles Matty Cash, who trips him to earn a yellow card – his second of the tournament.
84 min: Kylian Mbappe has scored as many World Cup tournament goals as Diego Maradona and Rivaldo in his entire career. And he is only 23 years old.
82 min: Robert Lewandowski, who has been ultra-calm, reminds Antoine Griezmann that he exists with a thudding challenge.
79 min: That was Mbappe’s eighth goal in a World Cup final, and his fourth of the 2022 edition. The wind is now out of Poland’s sails, and France is on the coast.
GOALLL! 2-0 France! Kylian Mbappé!!!
Out of France defense, Olivier Giroud found Mbappe who headed the ball past the keeper’s right hand into the top of the net. Excellent stuff.
72 min: France looked the better side today, but there is plenty of time for Poland at 1-0, and there is sure to be more to come after 90 minutes.
67 min: A rare attack from Poland sees Przemislav Frankowski cross toward Jakub Kaminski, but Poland’s Raphael Varane keeps it out.
65 min: Jules Kaunde sends in a low cross toward Olivier Giroud at the near post. The AC Milan man gets enough to send it into the side-netting but he is confident he can do better from a tighter angle.
63 min: Kylian Mbappe hits the deck in the area, there’s half a look from the referee but Ousmane Dembele is actually called for offside.
59 min: Both players are up after the stoppage, but Poland has yet to threaten this half.
55 min: Kylian Mbappe cuts in from the left and fires in a shot, but Kamil Glick gets enough of the ball to turn it away for a corner. Wojciech Szczęsny and Matty Cash are then in a heap, and the game is stopped for treatment.
52 min: Adrien Rabiot glides down the left before sending in a low cross which Bartosz Bereszinski does well to cut out and clear.
47 min: Yellow card: Bartosz Bereszczynski clips Ousmane Dimbele while the ball appears to have been received. Antoine Griezmann pumped it in from a free kick and Wojciech Szczesny pounced with ease.
46 mins: We’re back in action, no changes so far.
Half-time: That was an absolute killer for Poland – they had done so well up until then, now they have it all to do.
GOALLLL! Olivier Giroud! France 1-0 Poland!
Kylian Mbappe threads the ball through the Polish defense, and Giroud makes a smart run with an oval finish, twisting to knife the ball past Szczesny’s left hand. Excellent finish!
41 min: The referee stops the game to let Jules Kounde get back his gold chain, which is getting late. He leaves the bus and hands it to one of the team on the bench.
38 mins: What a save! Piotr Zieliński hits a shot from near the penalty spot that Hugo Lloris only gets a leg to clear! France was shocked.
34 mins: Wojciech Szczesny has to push away for a corner before Kylian Mbappe twists and turns away from Matty Cash to slam in a shot from an angle.
33 min: They come right back and Bartosz Bereszczynski sees a chipped cross blocked. Matty Cash then zooms in on the other flank and rifles a shot/cross into the box.
32 min: Poland wins a free kick 25 meters out, and after a long delay Robert Lewandowski finally wins it. Unfortunately, this is a really terrible attempt, low and straight into the wall.
29 minutes: What a miss! Ousmane Dembele slides the ball down the face of goal from the right, but Olivier Giroud can’t guide it into the goal from inside the six-yard box!
24 min: Poland is getting into the game, with Przemysław Frankowski seeing a shot blocked from an angle. In the last few minutes, they are starting to come out of their shells.
21 min: Wojciech Szczesny is called back after Jules Kaunde takes a shot through the midriff of the Poland keeper.
20 min: Robert Lewandowski gets a rare sight of goal, winning the ball 25 meters out and then letting it fly with his left foot. The shot is always curling wide, but that’s promising from a great start from the striker.
15 min: Wojciech Szczęsny is a busy bee – this time he has to leave to stop a shot from Ousmane Dembele that went straight at him.
14 min: Olivier Giroud runs in to try to get to Antoine Griezmann’s pass, but Wojciech Szczesny moves it in on the edge of the box.
12 min: Aurelien Tchouameni takes aim from 25 meters out, and Wojciech Szczęsny does well to deal with a shot that bounces in front of him. France’s fourth corner did not trouble the Polish goalkeeper, but it is ominous for the Poles.
10 mins: Mbappe cashes in again and this time Bartosz Bereszyński has to concede a corner.
9 min: Kylian Mbappe heads past Matty Cash and crosses – Jakub Kiwir must be certain with his diving header behind and Poland clears up the field from the corner.
5 min: Matty Cash exchanges a nice one-two on the right and chips in a cross that Hugo Lloris faces backpedaling on his Sox yard line.
3 min: Ousmane Dembele wins France’s first corner, which is headed into the box by Antoine Griezmann. Raphael Varane pounces on it and powers his header high and wide. So far all of France.
2 min: Bartosz Bereszczynski threatens Antoine Griezmann to give away an early free kick. Griezmann takes it, but his curling effort is overheated and out for a goal kick.
Kickoff: We’re on our way! France is in their deep blue shirt, Poland is in the traditional white shirt/red shirt combo.
5 minutes to kickoff: It’s now the national anthem as France goes first.
France vs Poland lineup, team news
France has been plagued by injuries in the build-up to the tournament, so it was no surprise to see head coach Didier Deschamps make nine changes to his starting line-up against Tunisia to avoid further casualties.
With captain Hugo Lloris and strikers, Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann reinstated, expect Deschamps to once again field a full-strength side for the knockout campaign.
Theo Hernandez is likely to play as left-back, as he did against Denmark after his brother Lucas tore the ACL in his right knee against Australia.
France Lineup (4-3-3, Right to Left): 1. Lloris (GK) — 5. Kaunde, 4. Varane, 18. Upamecano, 22. T. Hernandez — 7. Griezmann, 8. Chaumeni, 14. Rabiot — 11. Dembele, 9. Giroud, 10. Mbappe
Poland head coach Czeslaw Michniewicz may field a more conservative lineup after seeing his counter-attacking side lose comfortably to Argentina.
Feyenoord’s Sebastian Szymański and Wolfsburg’s Jakub Kaminski, who could be reinforcement options at the back, both started that game on the bench.
Poland’s lineup (3-4-2-1, right to left): 1. Szczesny (GK) — 2. Cash, 15. Glick, 14. Kiwior, 18. Bereszinsky — 20. Zielinski, 19. Szymanski, 10. Krychowiak, 24. Frankowski – 13. Kaminski, 9. Lewandowski