Kalian Mbappe's 70th minute penalty sends France past Paraguay 1-0 into the World Cup quarter finals vs Morocco. Match report from Philadelphia: VAR drama, heat, and fiery finish. Mbappe equals Messi on 7 World Cup goal. Deschamps and Mbappe react as France pass their toughest test yet.
Philadelphia turn into a furnace and a battleground.
Kalian Mbappe's 70th minute penalty was the difference in an ill tenpered World Cup last 16 clash that tested France far more than the scoreline suggests.
The reigning champions are through to face Morocco in the quarter finals on Thursday July 9 in Boston. But this was on stroll. This was a war of attrition in 39 degree heat, against a Paraguay side who came to fight, frustrate, and delay.
Mbappe held his nerve from 12 yards, moved level with Lionel Messi on 7 World Cup goals, and France lived to fight another day.
Paraguay has knocked out Germany in the previous round by doing exactly this. Defend deep. Slow the game. Hit on the break.
It worked for 45 minutes. France, the tournament's most exciting team so far, were restricted to long range shots. The heat made everything laboured.
It was only the 3rd World Cup knockout game since 1966 to have zero shots on target in the first half. Paraguay completed just 54% of their passes the lowest in a knockout game on record. This was ugly, but it was effective.
Didier Deschamps made the key move. Off came Bradley Barcola, on came Desire Doue.
Within minutes, Doue was tripped in the box by Diego Gomez. Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev waved play on. VAR intervened. Penalty France
Paraguay lost their heads. Players surrounded the ref, tried to scuff the spot, and delayed the kick. Mbappe didn't flinch. He sent Orlando Gill the wrong way and rolled it into the bottom corner. 1-0, 70 minutes.
Paraguay's frustration spilled out. Reckless challenges followed. Confrontation continued after the final whistle. Somehow, Paraguay finished the game without a single yellow card the first time they've done that in a World Cup match since 1998 vs Nigeria.
Mbappe should have made it 2-0 in stoppage time but was denied by a superb double save from Gill. He refused to shake the keeper's hand at full time. That told you everything about how combustible this contest was.
The penalty wasn't pretty, but it was clinical. And it mattered.
With that goal, Kalian Mbappe moves level with Lionel Messi on 7 World Cup goals. At 27 years old.
He was targeted all night by Paraguay. Kicked, grabbed, and fouled. Yet he kept his composure when it mattered most.
Mbappe said after. "We knew what kind of match to expect, I think it was really good for us to experience a game like that and to see how we handled it. We showed that we're not just a team capable of playing attacking football… The only right way is to win."
Didier Deschamps knew exactly what he'd just watched.
"It wasn't easy. If we'd taken one of our chances late in the game, it would have been a much more comfortable finish. Paraguay use every trick in the book. It's not necessarily the kind of football people enjoy watching, but we stayed focused and that's not easy to do.
They're a physical side and they defend very well. It's another important step forward. It's always difficult against South American teams, but I'm delighted that the players got the job done."
This was France first real test. They didn't play beautifully. But champions find a way.
This is the kind of game France lost in 2022. In 2026, they ground it out.
The reward is a blockbuster. France vs Morocco in the quarter finals.
It's a repeat of the 2022 semi final,when France won 2-0 on their way to the final. But this Morocco team is different. More confident. More dangerous.
"We're really looking forward to facing them because we know they're a very good team," Mbappe said.
DATE: Thursday July 9
KICK OFF: 9PM BST
VENUE: Boston
Morocco will back themselves. France will know they can't afford another 70 minutes of frustration.
This wasn't France at their fluent best. This was France at their most resilient.
Paraguay came to disrupt. They kicked, they delayed, they defended with everything. In 39 degree heat, that's hard to break down.
But World Cup winners need a Mbappe moment. And they got it. One penalty, one moment of class, and France are 90 minutes from another semi final.
The football wasn't beautiful. The result was.
Because in knockout football, the only right way is to win.
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