France advances to World Cup quarterfinals with Mbappé penalty win over Paraguay
France defeated Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16, with Kylian Mbappé scoring from the spot to send Les Bleus into the quarterfinals.
France moved into the World Cup quarterfinals after a 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the round of 16 on Saturday. The French side dominated possession, controlling about 76% of the ball and registering far more attempts than their opponents, but only a single goal proved decisive.
The match was settled in the 70th minute when Kylian Mbappé converted a penalty, placing the ball in the right-hand corner after the goalkeeper dove the wrong way. The goal marked Mbappé's seventh of the tournament, keeping him near the top of the Golden Boot race.
Paraguay, who reached the knockout stage after a penalty shootout win over Germany, employed a defensive five-back formation that limited France to 15 shots, five of which were on target. The Paraguayan goalkeeper, Orlando Gill, who had been instrumental in the earlier shootout, kept a clean sheet during regular play.
The game featured several fouls and a late yellow card issued to Michael Olise following a disputed incident. The disciplinary decision could affect Olise's availability in future matches if he receives another caution.