Qatar 2022: Defending Champion France Beat Poland 3-1, Progress to Quarter-Finals

Doha, December 04 (QNA) - Defending champion France booked a place in the quarterfinals of the FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022 with a 3-1 win over Poland at Al Thumama Stadium on Sunday. France were relentless on the attack as they pushed for an opening goal but could not unlock a sturdy Poland until just before the break when Mbappe played a pin-point ball through to Giroud, who hammered it past a diving Wojciech Szczesny to claim his 52nd goal for Les Bleus and became France's all-time top scorer. France's second goal came in the 74th minute, when electric Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe doubled the lead with a clinical finish amidst a huge roar from the crowd, as Poland keeper Szczesny couldn't do much about that. Mbappe showed his sheer-class yet again to make it 3-0 for France after adding a second goal in stoppage time with another screamer to seal the win and take his total for the tournament to five. Robert Lewandowski scored a stoppage-time consolation goal for Poland from the penalty spot at the second attempt. France were aiming to become the first team to win successive World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. They will next face the winners of the England versus Senegal game. (QNA)