Kylian Mbappé scored his 19th career World Cup goal from the spot as France edged Paraguay 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals, where they will face Morocco.
France defeated Paraguay 1-0 at Philadelphia Stadium on Saturday, with Kylian Mbappé scoring the only goal from a second-half penalty to send Les Bleus into the quarter-finals.
Paraguay deployed a heavily fortified 5-4-1 block that completely suffocated France in the first half, leaving Didier Deschamps’ side without a single shot on target. Substitute Désiré Doué made a brilliant surging run into the box in the 67th minute and was brought down by Diego Gómez. After a lengthy VAR review, Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev awarded a penalty.
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Mbappé stepped up to the spot in the 70th minute and calmly fired past goalkeeper Orlando Gill. The strike marked his 19th career World Cup goal, moving him just one behind Lionel Messi’s all-time record.
France finished with seven shots, two on target, while Paraguay managed five shots, two on target. French possession stood at 56 percent compared to Paraguay’s 44 percent.
In a highly physical match, all discipline fell on the frustrated French side: Bradley Barcola received a yellow card in the 19th minute, Manu Koné in the 81st, and Michael Olise in stoppage time.
France remains undefeated against Paraguay in official World Cup history, mirroring their famous 1998 Round of 16 clash, which France also won 1-0 via a Laurent Blanc golden goal.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, France advances to face Morocco in a highly anticipated quarter-final showdown.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on July 5, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
