(Football news) Harry Kane must be kicking himself for missing a late penalty as England crashed out of the World Cup quarterfinals with a 2-1 defeat against the reigning champions France. In the first half, Aurelien Tchouameni put France ahead through a brilliant strike in the 17th minute before Kane leveled the match with a 54th minute penalty, but Olivier Giroud scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 78th minute. Kane had the chance of becoming England’s outright record goalscorer from the penalty spot in the 84th minute, but it was yet again that a penalty kick scripted the end for the Three Lions as the Tottenham Hotspur striker ballooned it over the bar.

Gareth Southgate’s side failed to reach a second successive World Cup semifinal, while France marched on to the last four, where they will take on giant killers Morocco on Wednesday. France got off to the perfect start when Tchouameni escaped a tackle from Declan Rice and struck the ball brilliantly from a distance which Jordan Pickford was powerless to stop. There were calls for an England penalty in the 25th minute when Dayot Upamecano tangled with Kane on the edge of the penalty box but referee Wilton Sampaio waved away those appeals even after a VAR review as the challenge was deemed outside the box.

Southgate’s team started off the second half in emphatic fashion and were given a way back after a strong start to the second half when the goal scorer Tchouameni brought down Saka for a penalty. Kane on his first penalty stepped up and sent Hugo Lloris the wrong way which subsequently equalled Wayne Rooney’s all-time England record with his 53rd international goal. England then were dominating the game as they almost took the lead in the 70th minute when Harry Maguire header skimmed the post with Lloris stretching. 

France on the end spurned a fine chance seven minutes later when Giroud’s volley was turned away by Pickford, but the France’s all time record goalscorer made up for that glaring miss with a thumping header from an inch perfect cross from Antoine Griezmann’s to put his side ahead. It looked like that the lead would not last long when England were awarded a penalty for a cynical foul by Theo Hernandez who barged into Mason Mount as a penalty was awarded following a VAR review. This time however, Kane skied his effort into the night skies of Qatar. England’s wait for another World Cup continues while France are looking to do the unthinkable and become the first nation in over 60 years to win back to back World Cups.