AL KHOR, Qatar — France’s players reacted as if they had already won the World Cup again. What they were actually celebrating, though, was Harry Kane’s miss.
The match wasn’t over yet, but France was leading 2-1 when Kane, England’s captain and its best player, stepped up to take a penalty kick that could even the score in the 84th minute of Saturday’s match at Al Bayt Stadium, the last of four quarterfinals over two days.
He sent his shot high over the bar, and reigning champion France held on to win 2-1 for a spot in the semifinals.
“That’s football,” England coach Gareth Southgate said. “There is nobody I would rather have in that situation, and if we had one tomorrow, I’d feel exactly the same way.”
France, the 2018 champ in Russia, is attempting to become the first country to repeat at a World Cup title since Pele-led Brazil won back-to-back tournaments in 1958 and 1962. Italy also won two World Cups in succession in 1934 and 1938.