France secured a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay on July 5. The win, played in Philadelphia, sets up a match against Morocco, who previously shut out Canada 3-0.
Kylian Mbappé converted a penalty kick in the 70th minute, a goal that proved to be the difference in a match where France struggled to replicate its earlier offensive dominance. Mbappé is now tied with Lionel Messi for the tournament lead in goals scored with seven. Messi is scheduled to play in the Round of 16 on July 7 against Egypt.
Prior to facing Paraguay, France had scored at least three goals in each of its four World Cup games, outscoring opponents 13-2. However, Paraguay adopted a physical strategy, aiming to limit France's scoring opportunities by any means necessary, which often involved challenging French players aggressively. The match was played on Independence Day, with American fans in attendance supporting France, one of the United States' historical allies.
France will face Morocco in their quarterfinal match on July 9 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.