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Kylian Mbappe scored a crucial penalty to send France past Paraguay 1-0 in a World Cup last-16 clash played in front of 68,324 fans in Philadelphia. The win sets up a quarter-final showdown with Morocco. France's victory was secured in the 70th minute when Mbappe converted from the spot after Desire Doue was brought down.
France needed a second-half Kylian Mbappe penalty to break down a stubborn Paraguay side on Saturday. Paraguay's efforts to get under the skin of France's superstars worked for three quarters of a game played in an extreme heatwave.
The quality in the French ranks eventually shone through, with Mbappe converting from the spot on 70 minutes after Desire Doue was brought down. This was not an attacking masterclass by the French like they had produced in their previous games, but Paraguay did not allow them to play that way.
It was very much a mismatch, though, with Les Bleus having almost all of the ball and Paraguay not managing a shot on target until the 90th minute. Mbappe's brilliant World Cup on a personal level continued as he rejoined Lionel Messi as the tournament's joint-top scorer with seven goals.
Mbappe now has 19 World Cup goals in total from 19 appearances, meaning he is just one behind Messi's overall record of 20.
The win marks a major breakthrough for Paraguay, who had previously been eliminated in the round of 16 in each of their three previous World Cup appearances.
The match was played in front of a crowd of 68,324 fans in Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, which is just a short distance from Boston, where France's team will return to prepare for a last-eight clash against Morocco next Thursday.
Paraguay's back five defended stoutly and frustrated the French attack, with midfielder Michael Olise and winger Ousmane Dembele struggling to make an impact. The Paraguayans' approach was cynical at times, but they managed to contain the French superstars, with captain Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe struggling to make a breakthrough.
In the 70th minute, Paraguay's approach was finally punished as Desire Doue went down under contact from Diego Gomez and the French were awarded a penalty. Mbappe then stepped forward and slotted in, giving France a crucial lead.
The win was not an attacking masterclass by the French, but they have taken another step towards their goal in this World Cup. In 1998, France needed a golden goal to beat Paraguay at the same stage of the competition, but this time, they were able to secure a more straightforward victory.
Mbappe's goal was his seventh of the tournament, which puts him joint-second with Lionel Messi, who is still the tournament's top scorer.
The win sets up a thrilling quarter-final showdown between France and Morocco next Thursday in nearby Foxborough.