World Cup Desk — Kylian Mbappé’s second-half penalty proved decisive as former world champions France edged out a resilient Paraguay 1-0 at the Lincoln Financial Field.
The hard-fought victory ends the Latin American side’s fairytale run—which famously included knocking out Germany—and books Les Bleus a highly anticipated quarter-final clash against African giants Morocco.
Despite dominating possession from the opening whistle, Didier Deschamps’ men struggled to breach a stubborn Paraguayan defense in the first half.
The South American side sat deep and successfully frustrated the French frontline, leaving Mbappé and company tightly marked. With Paraguay also failing to threaten on the counter-attack, a tactical but low-key first half ended in a goalless stalemate.
The tempo shifted drastically after the interval as France injected more urgency into their attack. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 69th minute, courtesy of a brilliant solo effort from young prodigy Désiré Doué.
The midfielder embarked on a dazzling run from the center circle, slicing through the Paraguayan defense before being brought down illegally inside the penalty box.
While the referee initially waved play on, a swift Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review overturned the decision, awarding France a penalty. Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé stepped up to the spot, coolly converting the penalty with clinical precision to put the French ahead.
Staring at elimination, Paraguay threw caution to the wind, launching an all-out attack in the final stages of the match.
However, Didier Deschamps’ side showcased their defensive resilience, weathering the storm through 10 grueling minutes of stoppage time to seal their spot in the next round.
With this victory, France sets up a blockbuster quarter-final showdown against Morocco, who advanced after eliminating Canada.
The match is scheduled for Friday, July 10, at 2:00 AM Bangladesh Time (BST). This fixture promises to be a thrilling rematch of their iconic 2022 Qatar World Cup semi-final duel, as the football world braces for another epic Franco-Moroccan clash on the grandest stage.