Mbappe penalty sends France past stubborn Paraguay into World Cup quarter-finals

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...France will face Morocco in a repeat of their semi-final four years ago


By Maxwell Kumoye 

World Cup favourites France survived a major scare to secure their place in the quarter-finals, with Kylian Mbappe's second-half penalty sealing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over a resilient Paraguay in Philadelphia.

Paraguay frustrated the two-time champions for much of the contest, restricting Didier Deschamps' side to few clear-cut opportunities before substitute Desire Doue won the decisive penalty.

The 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward burst into the box and skipped past a defender before Brighton midfielder Diego Gomez clipped him. Referee Ilgiz Tantashev initially waved play on but pointed to the spot after a VAR review.

Mbappe made no mistake from 12 yards, calmly sending goalkeeper Orlando Gill the wrong way to score the only goal of the match and book France's place in the last eight. The strike also moved the French captain level with Argentina legend Lionel Messi on seven goals in the race for the tournament's Golden Boot.

Played in sweltering conditions, with temperatures reaching 38°C at kick-off, France dominated possession from the outset but struggled to unlock Paraguay's disciplined defensive setup.

Frustration began to creep into the French ranks, with Mbappe receiving a stern warning after reacting angrily to a robust challenge from Andres Cubas in the 36th minute.

Paraguay, who stunned Germany in a penalty shootout in the previous round, remained organised throughout a cagey first half that ended goalless, with neither side managing a shot on target.

France emerged with greater purpose after the restart and finally tested Gill in the 54th minute when Manu Kone unleashed a powerful long-range effort that the Paraguayan goalkeeper handled comfortably.

The breakthrough eventually came after Doue's introduction for Bradley Barcola injected fresh energy into France's attack. His fearless run into the penalty area forced the decisive mistake from Gomez, allowing Mbappe to convert from the spot and finally break Paraguay's resistance.

Despite their narrow victory, France will know they must improve their attacking efficiency as they continue their pursuit of a third FIFA World Cup title.








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