Philadelphia, Jul 5: Kylian Mbappe scored his seventh goal of the 2026 edition, slotting home from the penalty spot as two-time winner France overcame Paraguay 1-0 to set up a quarterfinal meeting with Morocco at the FIFA World Cup, remaining on course for another title.

Mbappé scored the only goal of the Round of 16 match in the second half from a penalty to settle an attritional contest at the Philadelphia Stadium, moving level with Lionel Messi on goals but leading on assists in the race for the 2026 Golden Boot.

The goal also moved the France forward one behind Argentina's all-time World Cup tally of 20. This was Mbappe's record-extending 11th World Cup knockout-stage goal, while becoming the first player to score in the Round of 16 in three successive tournaments.

Also read: Morocco Ends Canada’s Dream Run to Reach FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals

But it was not an easy outing for France, as was expected, as their opponents played physically.

Having stunned Germany on penalties to reach the Round of 16, Paraguay effectively shut up shop in a frustrating first half for France, whose players returned to their base with a few bruises on their bodies.

The Les Bleus dominated possession on Saturday night, but struggled to break down La Albirroja’s disciplined defence, with their efforts limited to speculative attempts from distance and none troubling goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

France began to make inroads after the restart, with Ousmane Dembele firing into the side netting following a quickly taken corner. As the pressure mounted, Gill had to dive full stretch to keep out Manu Kone's powerful long-range effort.

Paraguay's resistance was finally broken in the 69th minute after Desire Doué was adjudged to have been upended in the penalty area following a VAR review. Mbappe calmly dispatched the resultant spot-kick, sending Gill the wrong way to punch his team's ticket to the last eight.

"We knew what kind of match to expect. I think it was really good for us to experience a game like that and to see how we handled it. We showed that we're not just a team capable of playing attacking football. Every team uses its own strengths – there's no right or wrong way to play. The only right way is to win. Now we have to focus on Morocco. We're really looking forward to facing them because we know they're a very good team," said Mbappe after the match.

France head coach Didier Deschamps praised his side for remaining focused despite their opponent's tactics in this match.

"It wasn't easy. If we'd taken one of our chances late in the game, it would have been a much more comfortable finish. Paraguay used every trick in the book. It's not necessarily the kind of football people enjoy watching, but we stayed focused, and that's not easy to do. They're a physical side, and they defend very well. It's another important step forward. It's always difficult against South American teams, but I'm delighted that the players got the job done. We're into the quarterfinals, and we have to enjoy that," said Deschamps.

France, who won the title in 1998 and 2018 and ended up as runners-up in 2006 and 2022, will next face Morocco, who knocked out co-hosts Canada in the opening last-16 tie, at the Boston Stadium on July 9.

(IANS)