Photos: England go home, France advance to face Morocco

Defending champions France knocked England out of the World Cup in Qatar with a 2-1 win at Al Bayt Stadium.

France took the lead in the 17th minute when Aurelien Tchouameni’s forceful shot from just outside the post sailed past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

The game was relatively even between the teams until early in the second half, when England striker Bukayo Saka was brought down in the French box. Captain Harry Kane stepped up and his powerful conversion tied the game on 54 minutes.

Both teams then fought tooth and nail to take the lead, with several near misses including a bar-kissing header from England centre-back Harry Maguire.

But it was Olivier Giroud, France’s top scorer, who scored the decisive goal in the 78th minute to give Les Blues the lead with a header.

Kane had a chance to equalize soon after when England won a second penalty, but he fired the ball over the crossbar in the 84th minute.

Despite several other chances and a last-minute free kick from outside the penalty area that saw Marcus Rashford unable to convert, France sent England home empty-handed, and the reigning champions faced Morocco on Wednesday.