World Cup

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World Cup | Last 16

Dec 4, 2022 at 3pm UK

Al Thumama Stadium

France
3 - 1
Poland

Giroud (44'), Mbappe (74', 90+1')
Tchouameni (32')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Lewandowski (90+9' pen.)
Bereszynski (47'), Cash (88')

France vs. Poland: Why to expect a victory for the world champions on Sunday

By Matt Law, Football Editor

Published: December 3 2022 | 16:43

Last updated: December 3 2022 | 17:35

France vs. Poland: Why to expect a victory for the world champions on Sunday

Ahead of France's last-16 World Cup clash with Poland, Sports Mole looks at the reasons to expect a victory for the reigning world champions.

France and Poland will lock horns at the 2022 World Cup on Sunday afternoon, with a position in the quarter-finals of the competition on offer for the two sides.

The Blues, who are the reigning world champions, ended their group stage with a 1-0 loss to Tunisia, but a total of six points was enough for them to finish at the top of Group D ahead of Australia.

Poland, meanwhile, suffered a 2-0 loss to Argentina in their final group match, but they managed to finish second in Group C to advance to the last-16 stage of the competition.

The statistics point to a France victory in this match, with the Blues enjoying the better of their clashes with Poland throughout history.

Indeed, the reigning world champions have won eight of their previous 16 games against Sunday's opponents, suffering just three defeats in the process.

Poland have not actually beaten France since a 4-0 victory in a friendly back in August 1982, although their only meeting at the finals of a World Cup brought a Poland victory, with the White-Reds triumphing in the third-place playoff back in the 1982 competition.

The Blues are unbeaten in their last seven matches with Poland, though, keeping clean sheets in their last three fixtures with their fellow European nation.

Poland are also relatively inexperienced at this level, with their last spot in the round of 16 coming back in 1986. Indeed, each of their last three World Cups before this have ended in the group stage.

What's more, France have appeared at this stage on five occasions since the round of 16 was introduced in 1986 and have progressed from all five ties - 1986, 1998, 2006, 2014 and 2018.

Poland, on the other hand, have only recorded five shots on target in their three games at this World Cup, and they are unlikely to have too many clear openings against the world champions.

Kylian Mbappe has been in excellent form for Didier Deschamps's side, meanwhile, scoring three times and providing one assist, while he has had nine more shots (16) than any other France player at the tournament, with the Paris Saint-Germain attacker starring for his country in Qatar.