Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Quarter Final – England v France – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar – Dec 10, 2022 France's Aurelien Tchouameni celebrates scoring their first goal. (DYLAN MARTINEZ / REUTERS)

AL KHOR, Qatar – France were leading England 1-0 at halftime in the last quarter-final match of the World Cup after Aurelien Tchouameni put the reigning champions in front after 17 minutes with a long-range strike on Saturday.

Shortly after Olivier Giroud had tested Jordan Pickford in the England goal with a header, midfielder Tchouameni found space outside the box and struck a shot that found the bottom corner at the Al Bayt stadium.

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France keeper Hugo Lloris kept out his Tottenham Hotspur teammate Harry Kane twice while the England skipper felt aggrieved when he was denied a penalty following a challenge from Dayot Upamecano on the edge of the box.

The winners will play Morocco in the semi-finals at the same venue on Wednesday.