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Mbappé penalty sends France to Round of 16!
5 Jul
Summary
- Kylian Mbappé scored a 70th-minute penalty for France.
- The goal was Mbappé's seventh of the World Cup.
- France advanced to face Morocco in the next round.
France has advanced to the Round of 16 of the World Cup following a narrow 1-0 victory against Paraguay. Kylian Mbappé converted a penalty in the 70th minute, breaking a scoreless deadlock in a match characterized by Paraguay's defensive tactics and the intense heat in Philadelphia.
Paraguay employed a low block and physical approach, successfully frustrating France's potent attack for much of the game. The breakthrough came when substitute Désiré Doué drew a penalty, which Mbappé coolly converted. This goal marks Mbappé's seventh of the tournament, tying him for the Golden Boot lead and marking a significant World Cup milestone.
France's manager, Didier Deschamps, acknowledged the difficulty of facing such a defensive opponent, especially under challenging weather conditions. The victory draws parallels to France's challenging Round of 16 win in the 1998 World Cup, a tournament they ultimately won.
France will now face Morocco in Boston on Thursday. Paraguay, after a commendable performance that included eliminating Germany, departs the tournament.
