FIFA World Cup: Kylian Mbappe bags a brace as France secure quarterfinal place 

After Giroud's opening goal just before the break, Kylian Mbappe added two more goals in the final 15 minutes.

Olivier Giroud's goal makes him France's all-time top scorer with 52 goals. He is now one goal ahead of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

Poland had their moments, and Robert Lewandowski scored his country's consolation goal from the penalty spot in injury time, but the evening belonged to Kylian Mbappe.

The Paris St. Germain attacker scored his fourth and fifth goals of the tournament to ensure he will face England or Senegal in the round of 16, who play on Sunday night.

France coach Didier Deschamps restored his stars after resting many players for the final Group D match against Tunisia, which ended in defeat.

Captain Hugo Lloris returned to goal and played his 142nd game for the national team, but most of the action at Al Thumama Stadium took place on the other side of the pitch.

Raphael Varane put a header wide before Kamil Glik shot just wide of his own goal.

Aston Villa defender Matty Cash was tasked with stopping Mbappe, who was in good touch from the start. Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny also had to be alert in the early stages to stop Aurelien Tchouameni and Ousmane Dembele.

Robert Lewandowski was forced to bide his time but showed his intent midway through the first half with a sharp left-footed shot that missed by inches.

Shortly after, Olivier Giroud missed an excellent chance at the back post before the Poles, competing in the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time in 36 years, had their best period in the round of 16.

Robert Lewandowski fired a free kick into the wall, and Cash shot wide, but the big chance for the underdogs in Doha came seven minutes before the end of the first half.

A cross from Bartosz Bereszynski found Piotr Zielinski, but he shot straight at Lloris from the edge of the box, and after his follow-up shot was blocked, Jakub Kaminski's shot was cleared off the line by Varane.

While the Poles were still basking, France smelled blood, and Olivier Giroud provided the breakthrough in the 44th minute.

Kylian Mbappe played into the feet of Olivier Giroud, who ran away from Przemyslaw Frankowski and pushed the ball over Szczesny into the net.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mbappe vs. the 🐐&#39;s 😱 <br><br>He&#39;s only 23 years old! <a href="https://t.co/HsYcSGBwyA">pic.twitter.com/HsYcSGBwyA</a></p>&mdash; ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/1599450428961349633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Shortly after halftime, Olivier Giroud had the ball in the net again, but by then, a foul on Szczesny, who had to receive brief treatment for a collision alongside Cash and Varane.

It seemed only a matter of time before France shifted up a gear, and Kylian Mbappe scored the decisive second goal in the 76th minute.

An Antoine Griezmann free kick turned into a perfect long ball for Kylian Giroud, who plucked it out of the sky and combined it with Dembele.

In no time, Dembele had played the ball back to Kylian Mbappe, who touched it and shot it into the net from 16 metres.

Shortly after, the PSG attacker scored his fifth goal of this World Cup.

Substitute Marcus Thuram played a pass to Kylian Mbappe, who got in front of Arkadiusz Milik and circled the ball with his body into the top corner, where Szczesny could not hold the ball.

The Poles had no chance, but they had the last word when Robert Lewandowski scored from the penalty spot in the ninth minute of stoppage time.

Dayot Upamecano was penalised for a handball. Lewandowski was allowed to get on the scoresheet twice from 12 yards after his first attempt - saved by Lloris - had to be retaken for an infringement.

But despite the late penalty, it was France and Kylian Mbappe's night.