Kylian Mbappé is in great form. Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barkola stormed the two wings. Michael Ollis came in at number 10. Football fans did not expect Paraguay to pull off a surprise against such a strong France.
But Paraguay, who beat Germany to reach the last 16, showed what fight is all about.
But Mbappe became the savior of the beleaguered French brigade. France won by the only goal from the penalty. Didier Deschamps’ side reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Last July, France’s opponent, Morocco, reached the last eight
France started attacking from the start of the game. However, Paraguayan footballers defend strongly. Moreover, the hot weather has been a challenge for both the teams. Temperature fluctuates between 37.8°C and 43.3°C.
The air in the stadium was hot. Sometimes the footballers of the two teams are seen arguing. But Mbappe, Dembele and Ollis did not get a chance to score despite repeated attempts. After 40 minutes, Mbappe fell in Paraguay’s box, but the referee ignored the demand for a penalty. The first half ended goalless.
France coach Didier Deschamps brought on Barkola for Desiree Duay in the second half. This intensified the French offensive. France’s wait for the first goal ended after 70 minutes.
Dweck dribbled through the Paraguayan defenders and into the box. Gomez was fouled when he tried to stop him. The referee gave a penalty. Mbappe made no mistake in scoring from the spot kick. It was his seventh goal in the current World Cup. It was the 19th goal of his World Cup career. However, some football fans claimed that the penalty should not have been awarded.
Dembele was replaced by Raya Cherki after a while. But Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gil’s reflexes and saves prevented France from adding to the tally. At the end of the scheduled time, the referee gave 10 minutes of injury time. But Paraguay could not equalize the game.
Instead Gill saved two more sure goals for France. France leaves the field with a 1-0 victory. However, not allowing France to score until the 70th minute and Paraguay’s strong fight throughout the game won the hearts of football fans.
