Kylian Mbappé settled Paraguay vs France with a 70th-minute penalty on Saturday, and France left Filadelfia with a 1-0 win. The goal sent France into the World Cup quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive time, while Paraguay was pushed out after a match that stayed tight until the spot kick.
Mbappé Breaks The Deadlock
The penalty came after Diego Gómez was called for a trip following video review. Mbappé finished from the spot and gave France the only score it needed. It was his 19th World Cup goal in his 19th World Cup match, putting him one behind Lionel Messi’s record.
That finish also kept France on track in a tournament where it had already scored 13 goals in its first five matches. Against Paraguay, though, the attack had to work through a deep defensive block and repeated physical play that kept the game level deep into the second half.
Gill’s Hand Stays Out
After the final whistle, Orlando Gill tried to greet Mbappé. Mbappé left him with his hand extended, and Gill then threw a ball at him.
Mbappé had said after the match, “Sabíamos qué clase de partido iba a ser. Si hay que ensuciarse las manos, sabemos cómo hacerlo” and “También sabemos jugar un fútbol poco vistoso. Ellos se creyeron que nos presentaríamos de esmoquin, pero estábamos preparados.” The scene fit that edge: Paraguay had spent the night defending deep, and the closing minutes turned the final whistle into part of the story.
Filadelfia Heat
The match was played under an extreme heat alert in Filadelfia, with temperatures around 38 degrees Celsius. Hydration breaks came throughout the game, and the sprinklers watered the blue Kentucky grass during the breaks and halftime.
France now moves on to Marruecos on Thursday at the Estadio de Boston. Mbappé carries 19 World Cup goals into that match, one behind Messi, with both players on seven goals in the Botín de Oro race in this tournament.
