Argentina beat France on post-match penalties to lift FIFA World Cup trophy
Argentina beat France on post-match penalties to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The South Americans had taken a two-goal lead in the first half but a quick-fire brace by Kylian Mbappé late in the second half put les Bleus back level and set the tone for a very tense finish.
Lionel Messi was the first to find the back of the net in the 23rd minute from the penalty spot after Ousmane Dembele clipped Ángel Di María in the penalty area.
Di maria went on to double his side’s lead in the 36th minute after receiving a perfectly weighted pass from Alexis Mac Allister, rounding off a swift counter attack.
Didier Deschamps responded by taking off Dembele and Olivier Giroud, bringing on Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani.
The changes seemed to have the effect Deschamps would have desired, as his side grew stronger in attack in the second half.
Their efforts paid off when Muani went down in the 80th minute under a tug from Nicolas Otamendi brought and the referee pointed to the penalty spot.
Mbappe stepped up and slotted the ball past Emiliano Martínez, bringing Les Bleus back into the game.
A minute later, Mbappe fired a well caught volley past the Argentine keeper to put his side level.
Both sides pushed for a winner, but none got the ball into the other’s net, with the result remaining 2-2 at the end of normal time.
In extra time, the two sides continued their pursuit for a winner, both getting great chances to do so.
It wasn’t until the second half of extra time that Messi poked the ball home in the 108th minute after Hugo Lloris had saved a Lautaro Martinez shot.
As the game wound down, and with only three minutes left to play, France were awarded another penalty after Gonzalo Montiel handled the ball in the box.
Mbappe stepped up again and grabbed his hat-trick of the game, sealing his World Cup top scorer gong.
Both teams had more chances to put the game to bed but none managed to find the back of the net, and the game went on to a penalty shootout.
Argentina then emerged winners after Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missed their kicks.
