Skip to main content

Mbappe Brilliance Ends Messi World Cup

Everyone was waiting for the No 10 to light up the Argentina vs France World Cup Round of 16 clash. In the end, it was the No 10 who made the difference, it just wasn't the No 10 everyone expected.

While Lionel Messi and Co. endured another torrid afternoon, France's teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe was in the thick of things. He scored twice and it was his sensational burst of pace that won the penalty that led to France's opening goal.

For Messi and Argentina, this result had been coming for a long time. They had somehow managed to make it past the group stages without looking convincing and now, in the knockouts, against a team that meant business, they had no answers.

The 4-3 scoreline does not do justice to what transpired because France were always in control, even when Argentina briefly led. Trailing 2-1, Benjamin Pavard had helped France pull level with a sensational long-range and Mbappe took it from there.

Born in 1998, the year France won its only ever World Cup, Mbappe has all of France's hopes pinned on him. After tonight's performance, he becomes the first teenager since Pele in 1958 to score a brace in the World Cup knockouts.

Despite having one of the strongest squads on paper, France had started the tournament on a soft note, scoring just thrice in the group stages. They now have 4 goals already in the knockouts and look ready for Portugal or Uruguay, whoever comes up against them in the quarters.

It will be a long flight back to Argentina for Lionel Messi who might have possibly played his last World Cup match. But as the world comes to terms with the demise of a legendary No. 10 at the international stage, another legend who shares the jersey number has just announced himself.



via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2lJpaUU
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

India withdraw Smith protest as boards make peace in DRS row

India have withdrawn an official protest about the actions of Australia captain Steve Smith in the second test as the governing bodies of both countries moved to bring an end to the acrimony surrounding the ongoing four-match series. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had earlier registered a complaint to the International Cricket Council (ICC) over Smith looking to the dressing room for guidance on whether to review an lbw decision during the Bengaluru match. Despite the hosts winning the test to level the series at 1-1 on Tuesday, India skipper Virat Kohli alleged the tourists had indulged in the practice throughout the match, sparking a war of words in the media and a robust response from Australia. The boards released a joint statement on Friday saying the chief executives of both bodies had met in Mumbai on Thursday and agreed to try and bring the focus "back to the game" ahead of next week's third test in Ranchi. "India has always cherished a c...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pogba is one of best players when in form: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Leeds [UK], Dec 7 (ANI): Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised midfielder Paul Pogba, saying that he is one of the best players in the world when he is in good touch. "Paul is going to play when he gets his fitness. He is one of the best players in the world when he's in form and we just need to give him time to be 100 per cent fit," Goal.com quoted Solskjaer as saying. Pogba has endured a frustrating 2019-20 campaign to date, having only managed five Premier League appearances in total due to a string of fitness issues. He is currently recovering from an ankle injury and last played for the club on September 30 against Arsenal. Solskjaer had said that the France international will be out of action till December. "It might be 45 minutes in the first game, it might be half an hour, it might be 90. It depends on what game he comes back in and I'm looking back to get Paul back to where I had him about a year ago," Solskjaer said. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Virat Kohli and co. leave for West Indies

The Virat Kohli led Indian team left for the West Indies for the four-Test series starting July 21st. The team was accompanied by its newly appointed head coach Anil Kumble and other support staff. The 16-member squad will play a tour game against the West Indies Cricket Board President's XI at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts on July 9 and 10. The journey begins. #TeamIndia leaves for the tour of West Indies. #WIvIND http://pic.twitter.com/ebK1jkoFiN -BCCI (@BCCI) July 5, 2016 That will be followed by a three-day warm-up fixture at the same venue from July 14 to 16. The first Test match will be held at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua from July 21 to 25. The other three Test matches will be held at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica (Jul 30-Aug 3), Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia (Aug 9-13) and Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad (Aug 18-22). When India last toured West Indies in 2011, the visitors won the series 1-0....
Post a Comment
Read more