France 1-0 Paraguay: Les Bleus edge to victory setting up Morocco clash | OneFootball

Kylian Mbappe’s seventh goal of the 2026 World Cup proved the difference as France saw off a defiant Paraguay 1-0 to book their place in the quarter finals for the fourth successive time.

Mbappe’s 70th minute penalty, awarded after excellent work from substitute Desire Doue, was a timely breakthrough for the two-time world champions, who had struggled to break the Paraguayan resolve in searing Philadelphia heat.

The game threatened to boil over in the closing stages, with referee Ilgiz Tantashev failing to deal with a series of excessive challenges on French players, as both sets of players clashed on several occasions.

France will face Morocco in the quarter finals, setting up a rematch of their 2022 semi-final meeting.

As it happened

Returning to Philadelphia, the scene of their 3-0 win over Iraq in the group stage, France settled into an early rhythm on the East Coast with Paraguay, buoyed by their victory over Germany, looking to frustrate them.

Manu Kone, Didier Deschamps’ only change for the match, had the game’s first real sight at goal just past the 20-minute mark, as his effort from distance was diverted wide of goal by a red and white shirt.

Gustavo Alfaro’s side had to be at their concentrated best in the blazing sun as the French sought an opener but Paraguay’s newly adopted five-at-the-back shape seemed to be working to perfection, with the sides remaining deadlocked at the first hydration break.

Mbappe has rarely had to wait long for a golden opportunity in this summer’s tournament but the French captain failed to turn Ousmane Dembele’s cross goalwards with half an hour played.

There was a fiery edge to the contest throughout the match and tempers flared when Mbappe was impeded by Andres Cubas, with a number of players exchanging choice words in the aftermath.

Jules Kounde was the first to call Orlando Gill into action with a volleyed attempt before Dembele’s curler was deflected behind – with Mbappe on the receiving end of more untoward treatment in the build up to the latter.

Shortly after the break, France reminded their opponents of the threats they pose as Mbappe latched onto Mike Maignan’s pinpoint kick but Juan Caceres scampered back and crucially intervened.

Deschamps’ men were not shy in taking aim from range and Kone forced Gill into an acrobatic stop, with French pressure continuing to build on the Paraguay goal.

Deschamps introduced Doue for Bradley Barcola as his side looked to unlock La Albirroja’s defence and the change paid dividends with 20 minutes left of regulation time.

Doue danced past a trio of defenders before being tripped by Diego Gomez inside the box and whilst the referee waved away the initial appeals, he awarded France a spot kick after a swift VAR review.

Mbappe assumed responsibility from 12 yards and tucked the ball into the bottom right corner for his seventh of the tournament, drawing level with Lionel Messi at the top of this summer’s scoring charts.

Irked by their inability to deny the French any longer, Paraguay continued to push the boundaries with a string of excessively forceful challenges on blue shirts but the referee remained unwilling to award them a yellow card.

Deschamps bayed for tougher punishments from the referee, with the France boss even entering the pitch to remonstrate with the officials during the second-half hydration break.

Extraordinarily, Kone became just the second player to have his name taken by Tantashev despite the aggressive nature of the game.

Mbappe had a fantastic opportunity to put the game to bed in stoppage time as he saw two efforts superbly denied by Gill.

Michael Olise, growing frustrated with the ill treatment he and his teammates were on the receiving end of, was also brandished a yellow for taking issue with a Paraguayan player.

France saw out the victory with relative ease in the final moments and avoided suffering any injuries despite the hostility of the Paraguayans.

The former world champions will face Morocco in Foxborough on Thursday.

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Paraguay – France Live Score