Kylian Mbappé has 19 World Cup goals. He scored another one in Philadelphia on the Fourth of July, and France moved into the quarter-finals with very little drama.
The penalty came in the 70th minute. A challenge by Gomez on Doue. Mbappé stepped up and scored. His seventh goal of this tournament. His 19th in World Cup football across all tournaments. The only goalkeeper who has stopped him is the referee’s whistle and the offside flag.
Paraguay had one shot on target in 90 minutes.
That number tells you most of what you need to know about how the match went.
The scoreline and how it happened
France controlled the match from the opening. Paraguay, who beat Germany on penalties in the Round of 32 in one of this tournament’s genuine shocks, found France a different problem entirely. Germany had moments where they threatened and created. France did not give Paraguay the same opportunities.
The match drifted through the first hour without the kind of moments that create goals. Then the penalty changed everything, or rather confirmed what had looked likely since the start. Mbappé converted. Paraguay chased a way back into it. They found one shot on target.
France defended what they had. They almost always do.
Mbappé’s record
Nineteen World Cup goals. That figure places him third in the all-time World Cup scoring list. He has scored in as many World Cup appearances. Every game he has played at a World Cup, he has scored at least once.
The seven goals in this tournament from four matches puts him on pace for a haul that would test records that have stood for decades. He is 27 years old.
Paraguay’s run ends here
It would be wrong to dismiss Paraguay’s tournament. They arrived at this World Cup unheralded and beat Germany, a former four-time champion — on penalties in the Round of 32. That was not luck. It was organisation, resilience, and the kind of belief that comes from having nothing to lose against a heavyweight.
Against France, they came up against a different quality of opponent. France have won the World Cup twice. They have reached the final three times since 1998. They do not make the same defensive errors that Paraguay exploited against Germany.
One shot on target is not a fair reflection of Paraguay’s spirit. It is, however, an accurate reflection of France’s defensive control.
Paraguay go home having beaten Germany in a World Cup knockout stage. They should take something from that.
Looking ahead
France are in the quarter-finals. Mbappé is in form. Their goals-against figure across the tournament is minimal, Sweden managed three in the Round of 32 but France have otherwise been difficult to score against.
The quarter-final opponent will be confirmed from the remaining Round of 16 fixtures.
No comment