It was far from routine for France as Paraguay made the World Cup favourites sweat in Philadelphia before Mbappé’s calm penalty finally settled a nervy last-16 clash.
The two-time world champions entered the Round of 16 clash as overwhelming favourites, but they were forced to endure a frustrating afternoon in Philadelphia against a disciplined Paraguay side that defended resolutely and limited Didier Deschamps’ men to very few clear-cut opportunities.
Played under sweltering conditions with temperatures reaching 38°C, France dominated possession from the opening whistle but struggled to penetrate Paraguay’s compact defensive shape.
The South Americans, who stunned Germany on penalties in the previous round, frustrated Les Bleus throughout the opening half, with neither side managing a single shot on target before the break in what became one of the rarest goalless first halves in World Cup knockout history.
France’s frustrations were evident before halftime when Mbappé reacted angrily after being fouled by Andrés Cubas, while Paraguay continued to disrupt their rhythm with aggressive defending and disciplined organisation.
Deschamps’ side emerged with greater urgency after the restart and finally tested goalkeeper Orlando Gill in the 54th minute when Manu Koné unleashed a long-range effort.
The breakthrough eventually arrived after the introduction of Désiré Doué, whose pace and direct running immediately changed the complexion of the contest.
Just four minutes after coming on, the Paris Saint-Germain winger drove into the penalty area, skipped past his marker and was brought down by Diego Gómez. Following a VAR review, referee Ilgiz Tantashev pointed to the penalty spot.
Mbappé made no mistake from 12 yards, calmly sending Gill the wrong way to score what proved to be the decisive goal and send France into the last eight.
The strike also saw the France captain move level with Lionel Messi on seven goals in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot, while taking his remarkable World Cup tally to 19 goals in just 20 appearances.
Despite controlling much of the game, France found themselves repeatedly frustrated by Paraguay’s resilience and by several officiating decisions that did not go in their favour. Paraguay committed 13 fouls without receiving a yellow card, while France picked up three bookings despite committing fewer fouls.
The victory continues France’s march towards another World Cup title, although Deschamps will know his side will need to improve after being pushed to their limits by Gustavo Alfaro’s determined outfit.
History offered a familiar script, as France also needed a dramatic breakthrough to eliminate Paraguay in the Round of 16 at the 1998 World Cup on home soil, when Laurent Blanc’s famous golden goal kept their title hopes alive before Deschamps eventually lifted the trophy as captain.
France will now travel to Boston for a quarter-final showdown against Morocco, who defeated co-hosts Canada 3-0 to reach the last eight.
Paraguay, meanwhile, bow out with their reputation enhanced after another spirited performance, having already exceeded expectations with their penalty shootout triumph over Germany in the previous round.
