In a tense World Cup last-16 encounter on Sunday, France secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Paraguay thanks to a second-half penalty from Kylian Mbappé, setting the stage for a quarterfinal clash against Morocco.
Paraguay proved to be a formidable opponent, frustrating France’s star-studded lineup for much of the match. The game, attended by 68,324 spectators in Philadelphia, took place in a sweltering heatwave, adding an extra layer of challenge.
However, the French team’s relentless quality eventually broke through. Kylian Mbappé confidently converted a penalty in the 70th minute after Desire Doue was fouled, delivering the decisive blow.
Unlike their previous attacking displays, this encounter wasn’t an offensive showcase for France. Paraguay’s steadfast defense hindered their usual style of play.
Nevertheless, the disparity between the two teams was evident, as France dominated possession. Paraguay failed to register a shot on target until the very last moments of the match.
Mbappé’s brilliant World Cup on a personal level continued as he rejoined Lionel Messi as the tournament’s joint-top scorer with seven goals.
The Real Madrid striker now has 19 World Cup goals in total — from 19 appearances — meaning he is just one behind Messi’s overall record of 20.
Didier Deschamps’ team will now return to their Boston base to prepare for a last-eight clash in nearby Foxborough next Thursday against the Moroccans, who beat Canada 3-0 earlier.
It was a sweltering day in Philadelphia, with temperatures at 38C and extreme weather warnings in place due to storms.
France’s last visit to Philadelphia, during the group phase, was affected by storms, with rain and thunder leading to a two-hour delay in their 3-0 win over Iraq.
Morocco end co-hosts Canada’s World Cup run
In the first match of the day, Morocco snuffed out co-hosts Canada’s World Cup dream to book their place in the quarterfinals.
Two goals from Azzedine Ounahi and an injury-time effort from Soufiane Rahimi sealed a 3-0 victory for Morocco in Houston, sending the African champions into a quarterfinal meeting against France.
Morocco, who had produced a superb performance to eliminate the Netherlands in the last 32, were made to work hard for victory against the Canadians, who dominated the early exchanges of a physical contest in Houston.
But the Atlas Lions made the crucial breakthrough just after half-time when Ounahi swept in a powerful low shot from the edge of the area.
Ounahi made victory inevitable eight minutes from time with his second before Rahimi’s late goal on the counter-attack left Canada heading for the tournament exit.
“We are very happy,” Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said. “It’s a World Cup match and these are difficult games with teams playing for their lives. Canada were impressive — they played a top match. It was no surprise for us but in the second half we were able to profit from the space they left us — that was the key.”
However, Morocco, suffered a major blow in the 22nd minute when leading scorer Ismael Saibari had to leave with a possible hamstring injury.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch said he believed his team had been the superior side but paid the price for poor finishing.
“We were the better team,” Marsch said. “It’s just they had a bit of quality in the final third and we lacked the ability to make a play when we needed to.”
Morocco’s World Cup showdown with France in the last eight will be a repeat of their 2022 World Cup semifinal in Qatar.
— With reporting by Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
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