Mbappé penalty saves France in heated World Cup clash

France advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in a match played in intense heat. Kylian Mbappé converted a penalty in the 66th minute after a VAR review awarded the spot-kick for a foul on Désiré Doué. The goal was the difference in a game where Paraguay employed a highly physical and defensive strategy.

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Football won.

Paraguay's tactics involved constant fouling, pushing, and aggressive challenges, drawing widespread criticism from commentators. "I give them stars for being the dirtiest, grimiest, and most destructive," said Morten Langli on TV 2. Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart on BBC called their play a "disgrace," stating he would have removed players from the field if they were his.

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I give them stars for being the dirtiest, grimiest, and most destructive.

Despite the criticism, some acknowledged the effectiveness of Paraguay's approach. "It's not beautiful, but it's effective," commented Stephen Warnock on BBC about their first-half performance. TV 2 expert Petter Myhre noted their "clear DNA, an identity, which they have driven throughout the tournament." French newspaper L'Equipe questioned how Paraguay avoided yellow cards.

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The Paraguayan players were a disgrace tonight. If they were my players, I would have taken them off the field. I would never want to win that way.

Mbappé's penalty, his seventh goal of the tournament, kept him level with Lionel Messi in the top scorer race. The match was a stark contrast to the attacking flair celebrated earlier in the tournament, highlighting the different strategies teams employ to succeed on the world stage.

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They have a clear DNA, an identity, which they have driven throughout the tournament.