France booked a place in the quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA World Cup after battling to a hard-earned 1-0 victory over a resolute Paraguay side in Philadelphia.
Despite entering the Round of 16 encounter as overwhelming favourites, Didier Deschamps’ men found themselves repeatedly frustrated by a Paraguay team that adopted the same defensive approach which had troubled Germany in the previous round.
The successfully sent home Germany through penalty when the two teams could not be separated.
Paraguay stayed compact at the back and refused to give France space in the final third, forcing the European side to dominate possession without finding a breakthrough for much of the contest.
With his side struggling to unlock the Paraguayan defence, France coach Didier Deschamps cut a frustrated figure on the touchline before making a decisive tactical change in the 61st minute, replacing Bradley Barcola with Desire Doue.
The substitution paid immediate dividends.
Doue brought fresh energy to France’s attack and, after receiving the ball, danced his way into the penalty area. As he attempted to square the ball, he was brought down.
The referee initially allowed the game to continue, but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened and the incident was reviewed.
Following the review, France were awarded a penalty.
Kylian Mbappe stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, striking the ball into the net while sending the Paraguayan goalkeeper the wrong way to hand France the breakthrough they had desperately sought.
The goal shifted the momentum firmly in France’s favour as they took control of the remainder of the match.
Mbappe nearly added a second goal deep into added time after Michael Olise, who was not at his usual best during the encounter, squared the ball into his path.
However, Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill denied the French captain twice in quick succession to keep the scoreline respectable.
Despite the narrow margin, France did enough to secure progression and will now face Morocco in the quarter-finals as they continue their quest for World Cup glory.
(The Whistler)
