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Doha (AFP) – France and Argentina will meet in the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, four and a half years after meeting in the Russia World Cup final, when coach Didier Deschamps’ men picked up a stunning 4-3 victory over their off to their second title.
Earlier in that match, Kylian Mbappe revealed his credentials to the world. At the age of 19, the fast Paris Saint-Germain striker achieved an impressive sprint of over 60 meters which lasted seven seconds.
He received the ball 30 meters from his goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’ box, accelerated deep into the field between two Argentine players, then a second acceleration that killed veteran defender Javier Mascherano and a third missile that forced defender Marcos Rojo to take him inside the area: a penalty that Antoine Griezmann successfully translated into goalkeeper Franco Armani, and France went 1-0 ahead in the 13th minute.
Son of the Paris suburb of Bondi, he did more that night in Kazan. He decided the match in five minutes, scoring the third and fourth goals for Al-Zarq (64 and 68).
After a cross from Luca Hernandez, he placed the ball inside the area and shot into the net with his left foot (3-2), then went into open position to send a deadly left foot into the net (4- 2).
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Mbappé’s brace, scored in a period in which the French explicitly dominate the match, embodies the superiority of the Blues, while Sergio Aguero’s goal in added time (3-4) does not spare his team from the bitter exit from the group outward. , depriving Argentina of continuing the journey to a third title After 1978 and 1986, or star Lionel Messi from achieving the first world title in his rich career with his Spanish club Barcelona.
But the Albiceleste, even if tired of Mbappé’s speed, had terrorized Didier Deschamps’ team. Before the break, Angel Di Maria responded with a beautiful long left, which equalized the numbers 1-1 (41).
Returning from the dressing rooms, Argentina advanced with a lucky goal from Gabriel Mercado, who took advantage of the fall of goalkeeper Lloris on the opposite corner after a shot by the “flea” Messi (48′).
The French found themselves in a difficult situation, but the night witnessed a magical moment: a long cross and a stray ball reached the entrance on the right side of the box, and half-back Benjamin Pavard fired a missile from opposite corner, and he exploded wonderfully into the Argentine’s net, scoring the equalizer 2-2 (57).
The French drew, went unstoppable on their way to Moscow for a second title. To win the third title in their history, Argentina will battle them again on Sunday in Doha.
It will be the thirteenth match in the history of meetings between the two teams, as Argentina have so far achieved six wins, against three defeats and three draws.
They have met three times in the World Cup. Before the last meeting in Kazan in 2018, Argentina won the first edition which was held in Uruguay in 1930 with a goal, and repeated it in the 1978 edition which was held at home in the group stage 2-1.
© 2022 AFP
