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≡ FIFA WORLD CUP ≡
The penultimate match of the FIFA World Cup was entertaining from the start, with England up 4-0 at half, then French storming back with three scores in 21 minutes and a sensational 6-4 final.
● England 6, France 4 ● It was steamy as expected at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami with 89 F temps and 61% humidity, with seven changes in the English line-up, with stars Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and keeper Jordan Pickford all on the bench.
England got going right away, with midfielder Declan Rice taking advantage of a turnover near midfield, then dribbling forward and stopping just short of the box and launching a right-footed laser that sailed right into the French net for a 1-0 lead just 2:14 into the game!
England forward Bukayo Saka scored on a right-side breakaway and a left-footed strike in the 11th, but was called for offsides. The English were back at it again in the 18th and off a corner by Rice to the back post, defender Ezri Konsa headed the ball into the goal to go to 2-0!
The hydro break could not come too soon for France, which had 54% possession, and four shots to five for England. The game slowed a bit, but French star Kylian Mbappe was stopped on a couple of chances, including a blast from the left side in the 35th that was stopped by keeper Dean Henderson.
England got loose on an ensuing play and Saka sent a long ball ahead to forward Marcus Rashford, whose shot was blocked by French keeper Mike Maignan, who came well off his line. It came to Saka, who tried a shot that was blocked, then to Rashford, who sent it on to Saka, ready with a left-footed volley into the goal – with Maignan out of the play – for a 3-0 lead in the 37th!
In stoppage time, England was officially in dreamland as Saka scored again at 45+1 off another long lead pass from midfielder Eberechi Eze, who finished with a left footed shot into the far post and it was 4-0 and officially a rout. The half ended with 55% English possession and 10-5 on shots. Magnan was credited with two saves in six England shots on goal.
France made four substitutions to start the second half, and it paid immediate dividends, as a pass from midfielder Michael Olise at the top of the box found a cutting Mbappe and he scored into the far corner to close to 4-1 after 2:31 (48th). That’s Mbappe’s ninth goal in this World Cup to take the lead in the Golden Boot standings, and it’s his 21st World Cup goal all-time, tying him with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for the most ever.
Suddenly, France got back into it in the 54th, as another long lead from Mbappe on the left side found forward Bradley Barcola on the left side and he rolled into the box on the left side and sent a left-footed shot to the far side of goal for the score and a 4-2 deficit.
The game was open with scoring chances on both sides and in the 66th, it was Mbappe again, scoring on a left-footed shot from the middle of the box on a give-and-go from Olise; it’s 4-3 and Mbappe’s 10th goal in this World Cup. And he almost scored again in the 68th, but missed the final touch and the hydro break came. England was still at 55% possession and had 15 shots to 12, but a lead of just one now after three French goals in 21 minutes!
English star Jude Bellingham came on as a sub and almost scored in the 80th, and on the ensuing possession, Olise was wide on a fabulous chance in the 81st. Back and forth and in the 85th, English defender Djed Spence was submarined by Malo Gusto for a penalty, and Saka got his hat trick to the right side of the net. 5-3.
And of course that wasn’t enough. At 90+6, another French pass, this time from defender Dayot Upamecano got the ball to striker Ousmane Dembele, who dribbled into the left on the right side, and sent a rolling ball into the left side of the net to cut it to 5-4.
And Bellingham finished it at 90+8, dribbled from midfield into the French box, faking, dribbling, waiting and getting past all the defenders got a right-footed score to end the game at 6-4. Astounding. England ended at 54% of the ball and shots ended at 19-19.
It’s the first England medal in the World Cup since it won the title in 1966 and first win in three third-place games. France won the World Cup in 2018, lost to Argentina in 2022 and now finished fourth.
≡ PANORAMA ≡
One more match left, the final with Spain vs. Argentina on Sunday, 19 July at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, at 3 p.m. Eastern.
Argentina is trying to write some history with a second consecutive title, not done since Brazil – and Pele – in 1958 and 1962, and their seventh final (three prior wins in 1978-86-202). Spain is in its second final, after winning in 2010.
There has been concern over the impact of smoke from Canadian wildfires, but rain in the area on Saturday has helped to clear things up. The forecast is actually quite a bit cooler then projected earlier, with projected game-time temperature of 82 F, now expected to be sunny, with 46% humidity.
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TicketData.com reporting showed the price for the third-place shriveled at the end:
● $913 for the Group Stage
● $1,015 for the Round-of-32
● $1,453 for the Round-of-16
● $1,188 for the Quarterfinals
● $2,246 for the Semifinals
● $582 for Third Place
The lowest-price tickets for the third-place were $2,409 on 25 June, $1,325 on 15 July and down to $582 on Saturday.
The presence of Argentina in the final has raised asking prices for the final. While the Spain-France semi had a lowest “get in” price of $1,315, it was $3,177 for Argentina and England on Wednesday, rising from $2,599 the day before.
So, for the final:
● $12,200 on 22 June
● $8,987 on 01 July
● $7,224 on 15 July
● $9,025 on 18 July
Through 103 of 104 matches, the median (not average) of the lowest “get-in” prices is $914.
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