On July 5, local time, France triumphed in the Round of 16 match held at the stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This victory marks the third consecutive quarterfinal appearance for France, the runner-up in the previous 2022 Qatar tournament, as they continue their quest for a third World Cup title.
France will face Morocco in the quarterfinals on July 10 at 5 a.m. Morocco advanced after a decisive 3-0 win over co-host Canada in their Round of 16 match.
The two teams will meet for the first time since their last encounter in the 2022 Qatar tournament, where France won 2-0.
France dominated the match against Paraguay, maintaining nearly 80% possession in the early stages and recording 15 shots, with five on target, as they relentlessly pressured Paraguay's goal.
However, the French attack struggled to convert opportunities in the first half, facing a solid defensive wall and physical play from Paraguay. Notably, Mbappé did not register a single shot during the first half.
After a scoreless first half, France made strategic substitutions to change the momentum of the game. Coach Didier Deschamps brought on Désiré Doué for Bradley Barcola in the 61st minute, injecting pace into the attack.
Doué's presence revitalized the French offense, and in the 70th minute, he was fouled in the penalty area by Diego Gomez while attempting to dribble inside. The referee awarded a penalty kick to France.
Mbappé calmly converted the penalty, shooting to the right side of the goal to score the decisive goal.
With this goal, Mbappé recorded his seventh goal of the tournament, tying him for the top scorer alongside Lionel Messi of Argentina. Additionally, he achieved his 19th career World Cup goal, closing in on Messi's record of 20 goals.
This match also set a new record for the French national team, as they became the fourth nation in World Cup history to reach a total of 150 goals, following Brazil, Germany, and Argentina. Deschamps, who scored the golden goal against Paraguay in the 1998 World Cup Round of 16, replicated a one-goal victory over Paraguay 28 years later as the head coach.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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