Kylian Mbappe converted a penalty in the 70th minute as France edged past a resilient Paraguay side 1-0 on Saturday, securing their place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals. The match, played in sweltering 39-degree Celsius heat, saw France set to face Morocco in the next round.
The decisive penalty was awarded after a VAR review confirmed a foul on substitute Desire Doue by Paraguay’s Diego Gomez inside the box. Mbappe calmly sent goalkeeper Orlando Gill the wrong way to score his seventh goal of the tournament, marking his 19th World Cup goal in as many appearances. This achievement ties him with Lionel Messi on the all-time World Cup scoring list, just one goal shy of the record held by the Argentine legend.
France dominated possession throughout the match but struggled to break down Paraguay’s disciplined defensive setup, which featured a 5-4-1 formation aimed at frustrating the 2022 runners-up. The French side faced an early setback when midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni withdrew before kickoff due to a muscle injury, with Manu Kone stepping in alongside Adrien Rabiot in midfield.
Despite the intense heat and limited clear chances in the first half—neither team managed a shot on target—France came close through Rabiot, Kone, and Ousmane Dembele, while Paraguay’s main threat came from Julio Enciso. After halftime, France increased their pressure, eventually earning the penalty that decided the game.
In the final moments, Paraguay nearly forced a dramatic finish when France goalkeeper Mike Maignan was called into action for the first time in the 90th minute, making a crucial save to maintain the lead. Mbappe was twice denied by Gill during stoppage time, but France held firm to claim a hard-fought victory.
Mbappe reflected on the match, emphasizing the team’s readiness to adapt to the challenge: “We knew what kind of match we were going to have. If we have to get our hands dirty, we can do that. We can play ugly football. They thought we would turn up in tuxedos, but we were there.” This win avoids the kind of upset Paraguay caused earlier in the knockout stage by eliminating Germany and nearly toppling Argentina.
