Argentina 3-4 France: Mbappe brace puts France past Messi’s Argentina

-

June 30, 2018Jide Alaka

Kylian Mbappe celebrates his goal against Argentina (Photo Credit: Reuters)

In the end, Argentina just did not have enough even with Lionel Messi. Two goals in the first half were followed by five in the second as France, with a brace from 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe took Les Bleus through to the quarterfinal. The PSG teenager was a constant threat, winning a penalty and scoring twice while Messi continued his record of not scoring in the second round of the World Cup.

First Half

France kicked off with Argentina starting Lionel Messi as the central striker with the licence to roam. Gonzalo Higuain was dropped and Cristian Pavon came in. Kylian Mbappe showed his speed to the Argentines and was taken out by Javier Mascherano as he approached the box. Antoine Griezmann stepped up and struck the crossbar.

On 11 minutes, Mbappe won the ball deep in France half and took off. He sprinted past Mascherano, Nicolas Otamendi before Marcos Rojo hauled him down in the box. Clear penalty. Griezmann stepped up and sent Franco Armani the wrong way.

Seven minutes later, Nicolas Tagliafico fouled Mbappe on the edge of the box after Pogba found the 19-year-old with a quick free kick. The free kick was blazed over by Pogba. Griezmann had a run into the box but his cutback was straight at Armani. Tagliafico had to be 100% accurate with a tackle on Mbappe in the 30th minute. Things got a little tasty on 32 minutes as Mascherano flew into Pogba after the French midfielder had dispossessed Messi.

Angel Di Maria then scored a contender for goal of the tournament when he let fly from 31 yards after he was not closed down. That was on 41 minutes and it was Argentina’s first shot on target. Mascherano was finally shown a yellow card on 42 minutes for a diving challenge on N’Golo Kante. Argentina were now having more joy with the ball and were pushing France back.

Second half

Federico Fazio replaced Rojo by at the start of the second stanza and just three minutes into the second stanza, Argentina were ahead.

From a free kick, the ball was half-cleared and fell to Messi., who swiveled and shot at goal with Lloris well placed but the ball his Mercado and wrong-footed the French goalkeeper. Fazio then almost gifted Griezmann a goal on 56 minutes but the path to goal was quickly closed.

France were on level terms in the 57th minute when a cross from France’s left back, Lucas Hernandez, found its way to his right back, Benjamin Pavard, who hammered a swerving shot past Armani.

Game on!!!

Mbappe pounced on a loose ball in the Argentina box in the 64th minute, twisted and powered a left-footer under Armani to give France the lead once again.

France’s fourth goal was a classic team move that started from the Goalkeeper, Lloris to Kante to Griezmann to Blaise Matuidi, who laid on to Giroud, who passed into Mbappe’s path and the teenager passed it past Armani. What a goal!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Revealed: Why prostitutes fear Congolese men in Kyumbi

-
Image
2 days ago, by  Ndeto Jaythree Sex workers parking on a Nairobi street at night. [Photo/Standard] Makutano Kyumbi is a town, along Mombasa road, exactly at the Machakos turnoff well known for prostitution which comes with a large number of long-distance truck drivers who spend their nights there. The town which looks dormant at daytime accommodates over 400 trucks parked each night translating to over 1200 persons who encompass drivers and their conductors. Cathy Nzisa, a middle-aged lady with over 5 years experience lamented that the business is getting worse with young entrants attracting the drivers for as low as Sh100 service charge per hour. Nzisa said the business used to bring handsome income probably on weekends if you are lucky to lay five men each at Sh300 or Sh500 per hour according to the agreement. "Rates vary depending on the man. If he is willing to use a condom it remains at below Sh500 and if he is for 'nyama kwa nyama' [without a condom], th...
Read more

Simi: I can stone Ighalo if i see him

-
Image
Nigerian songstress and Opera ambassador, Simi has expressed her dissatisfaction with Super Eagles forward Odion Ighalo and threatened to beat the Changchun Yatai player whenever she sees him. The ‘Joromi’ crooner who is an ardent football lover and staunch Manchester United fan followed the Super Eagles game against Croatia on Saturday where the Nigerian team lost 2-0 to the Croats. Simi believes Ighalo was not at his best during the game which prompted her reaction on social media. “I’m so upset. My heart is broken,” read one of her Instagram stories. She needed to hold somebody responsible for the pour game and Ighalo was the person, though there were calls for Iheanacho to replace the former Watford player during the game. “If I see Ighalo in real life, I can stone him,” she wrote. We can understand her pains. We do know how it feels after supporting your team and rocking the new Super Eagles ki...
Read more

2019: PDP and I will easily defeat Buhari — Kwankwaso

-
Image
June 30, 2018 Samuel Ogundipe Rabiu Kwankwaso Rabiu Kwankwaso, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress who is increasingly becoming estranged from the ruling party, has said President Muhammadu Buhari will be defeated in 2019. He identified the Peoples Democratic Party as the most potent opposition platform capable of defeating the incumbent in the upcoming presidential election fixed for next February, and swiftly added that he is the suitable candidate to fly the party’s flag to victory. “I’m a free man now and available to try my luck elsewhere but I know that PDP is the biggest party and as long as they follow democratic principle, Buhari will easily be defeated, but if they handpick and force any candidate on the party, they will fail,” Mr Kwankwaso told Dele Momodu in an exchange published Saturday. Mr Kwankwaso, a serving senator and former governor of Kano State, often claims credits for helping Mr Buhari secure 1.9 million votes in the state....
Read more