Mbappe's Penalty Sends France Past Paraguay in Round of 16 Clash
July 4, 2026 ยท By yayscore Newsroom
Updated:
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Kylian Mbappe's second-half penalty was the decisive moment as France overcame a resilient Paraguay side to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals.
France secured their passage to the next round of the World Cup in a hard-fought encounter against Paraguay. Les Bleus dominated possession throughout the match but struggled to break down a well-organized Paraguayan defense. The South American side, despite having only 24% possession, created a few counter-attacking opportunities, though ultimately registering only one shot on target.
The first half saw France pushing forward, but without clear-cut chances. The referee issued a yellow card to France's B. Barcola in the 19th minute for rough play. The turning point arrived in the 70th minute when Kylian Mbappe converted a penalty, putting France ahead after sustained pressure. This goal was the culmination of France's superiority in both possession and shots, with a total of 15 attempts compared to Paraguay's five.
Following the goal, Paraguay made several substitutions, including the introductions of G. Avalos and Mauricio, attempting to find an equalizer, but their efforts were to no avail. France also made changes, bringing on D. Doue and R. Cherki to maintain their advantage. Further yellow cards were given to France's M. Kone (81st minute) and M. Olise (90+7 minute) as tensions rose towards the end.
With this narrow 1-0 victory, France progresses to the quarterfinals, keeping their World Cup aspirations alive. For Paraguay, it marks the end of their World Cup journey in the Round of 16, having put up a commendable defensive performance against one of the tournament favorites.