Paraguay’s attempts to challenge France’s star players were effective for three quarters of the match played in front of 68,324 fans in Philadelphia under hot conditions. France required a second-half penalty from Kylian Mbappe to overcome a determined Paraguay team, winning the World Cup last-16 match 1-0 and advancing to a quarter-final encounter with Morocco. Paraguay managed to challenge France’s top players for most of the match, which took place before an audience of 68,324 in Philadelphia under extreme heat.
Despite Paraguay’s strong defensive efforts, the skill of the French team became evident when Mbappe scored from a penalty at the 70-minute mark after Desire Doue was fouled.
While this match did not showcase the French team’s typical offensive brilliance seen in earlier games, Paraguay’s performance limited their ability to play freely. The match was largely one-sided, with Les Bleus controlling possession while Paraguay failed to register a shot on target until the 90th minute. Mbappe continued his impressive World Cup performance by matching Lionel Messi as the tournament’s joint-top scorer with seven goals.
