Mbappe fires France into World Cup quarter-finals, Paraguay crash out

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

France edged past a resilient Paraguay side with a hard-fought 1-0 victory on Saturday to secure their place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, with captain Kylian Mbappe’s second-half penalty proving the difference in a tense Round of 16 encounter.

The 2022 runners-up were forced to work hard against a disciplined Paraguay team that frustrated Didier Deschamps’ men for much of the contest before Mbappe finally broke the deadlock from the penalty spot.

After a cagey first half that produced few clear-cut chances, France intensified the pressure following the restart, with Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise stretching Paraguay’s defence.

The decisive moment arrived in the 68th minute when the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened after Desire Doue was brought down inside the penalty area. Referee Ilgiz Tantashev reviewed the incident and pointed to the spot.

Mbappe stepped up with confidence and calmly drilled his penalty into the bottom-right corner in the 70th minute, giving France a lead they would never relinquish.

Paraguay refused to surrender and pushed forward in search of an equaliser, with Miguel Almiron orchestrating attacks before making way for Gabriel Avalos. Substitute Mauricio also threatened late on, but goalkeeper Mike Maignan remained composed to preserve France’s advantage.

France had opportunities to extend their lead, with Orlando Gill producing several outstanding saves to deny Mbappe, Manu Kone and Desire Doue, ensuring Paraguay stayed within touching distance until the closing stages.

Ten minutes of stoppage time added further drama as Paraguay launched a late assault, but the French defence held firm to seal a narrow victory.

The result sends France into the quarter-finals as they continue their pursuit of another World Cup title, while Paraguay bow out after an impressive defensive display that pushed one of the tournament favourites to the limit.