France edges Paraguay with Mbappé penalty, to face Morocco in World Cup quarters

France secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the World Cup's round of 16, advancing to face Morocco in the quarterfinals.

The match, held in Philadelphia, was a physical encounter, with Paraguay adopting a defensive strategy to neutralize France's attacking threats, particularly Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise. For over an hour, Paraguay's disciplined defense successfully disrupted France's offensive rhythm.

The turning point came in the 70th minute when a foul inside the penalty area led to a penalty kick. Mbappé converted the spot-kick, scoring the game's only goal and ultimately deciding the match. Despite the narrow margin, the French team expressed relief and determination.

Mbappé acknowledged the tough nature of the game, stating, "I think we knew what kind of match we were going to have. I think today the match we had was very good and how we played it. We showed that we are a team that knew how to play offensive football, but if we have to get our hands dirty, we will get our hands dirty."

France's victory sets up a quarterfinal clash against Morocco, a rematch of their 2022 World Cup semifinal. Paraguay, meanwhile, exits the tournament after a commendable run that included a surprising victory over Germany.

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I think we knew what kind of match we were going to have. I think today the match we had was very good and how we played it. We showed that we are a team that knew how to play offensive football, but if we have to get our hands dirty, we will get our hands dirty. Sorry for the expression.