Football · Philadelphia
Mbappé penalty sends France past rugged Paraguay and into World Cup quarter-finals
Kylian Mbappé converted a 70th-minute penalty, his seventh goal of the tournament, to give holders France a 1-0 win over a physical Paraguay side in Philadelphia and set up a quarter-final rematch with Morocco.
AI text based on reports by SIC Notícias, Observador, Notícias ao Minuto and other publishers. Published . How it is made
For membersThe first 30 seconds for everyone. Synthetic voice (AI).
In brief
Kylian Mbappé scored from the spot in the 70th minute after Désiré Doué was fouled, his seventh goal of the 2026 World Cup.
Paraguay disrupted the game with aggressive duels and frequent clashes, leading to a first half with no shots on target.
The holders have won all four matches so far, scoring 10 goals and conceding just one.
France will meet Morocco in Foxborough on Thursday, a repeat of the 2022 semi-final won 2-0 by the French.
- KickoffMatch begins at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia.
- Half-timeFirst half ends 0-0 with no shots on target from either side.
- 70th minuteDésiré Doué wins a penalty; Kylian Mbappé converts to make it 1-0.
- Full timeFrance holds on to win 1-0 and advance to the quarter-finals.
A bruising encounter in Philadelphia
France reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory over Paraguay at Lincoln Financial Field. The decisive moment came in the 70th minute when substitute Désiré Doué was fouled inside the area and Kylian Mbappé stepped up to score from the spot. It was Mbappé's seventh goal of the tournament and his 19th in World Cup play, across 19 appearances.
“We are feeling good. The players are playing their first World Cup. We had to learn quickly. It is a privilege to play a match like tomorrow's against one of the best teams in the world.”
Paraguay's physical approach
Paraguay, who had eliminated Germany on penalties in the previous round, adopted a confrontational style that turned the match into a stop-start affair. The first half ended without a single shot on target from either side. After the break the duels intensified, with defender Juan José Cáceres frequently tangling with Mbappé in what one report described as resembling a wrestling bout.
France's path to the last eight
The holders have been one of the most consistent sides in the tournament. They topped Group I with wins over Senegal (3-1) and Iraq (3-0), then swept past Sweden 3-0 in the round of 32. The 1-0 result against Paraguay was their first match decided by a single goal.
- Senegal
- 3 goals
- Iraq
- 3 goals
- Sweden
- 3 goals
- Paraguay
- 1 goals
Data from the article text
Quarter-final set
France will face Morocco in the quarter-finals on Thursday in Foxborough, a rematch of the 2022 semi-final which France won 2-0. The match kicks off at 16:00 local time (21:00 in Lisbon). Morocco advanced by beating Canada in their round-of-16 tie.
Ask about this text
Sources and context
- SIC NotíciasQuem é que os pára? França avança para os 'quartos' após bater Paraguai
- ObservadorNo ADN do galo continua a haver um suspeito que insiste em aparecer quando alguém quer fazer história (a crónica do Paraguai-França)
- Notícias ao MinutoFrança sobrevive ao 'wrestling' paraguaio para carimbar quartos de final
- SAPOAO VIVO E EM DIRETO: Assiste ao histórico Paraguai x França dos 16 avos de final do Mundial 2026
- Kylian Mbappé
- France forward, scored the winning penalty for his seventh goal of the 2026 World Cup.
- Désiré Doué
- France substitute who won the penalty that led to the only goal.
- Didier Deschamps
- Head coach of the France national team.
- Gustavo Alfaro
- Head coach of the Paraguay national team.
- Juan José Cáceres
- Paraguay defender involved in physical duels with Mbappé.
Pollar is free and carries no ads in the text. Its members keep it going.
Support Pollar