Kylian Mbappé put France ahead with a brilliant crossover step in the 45th minute and then added a second-half goal to break a World Cup knockout round scoring record, as Les Bleus beat Sweden 3-0 Wednesday to set up a round of 16 match against Paraguay.
Bradley Barcola added a 53rd-minute goal for France, and Mbappé capped the scoring in the 74th minute for his third two-goal game in four matches. His six goals tied Argentina forward Lionel Messi for the tournament lead and gave him 18 in his World Cup career, one shy of Messi's record.
Mbappé’s 10 knockout-round goals are two more than the previous high by Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo. France coach Didier Deschamps bowed when his star came to the bench after he was substituted in the 85th minute.
France, the World Cup runner-up four years ago and a tournament favourite this time, has outscored opponents 13-2, with Michael Olise assisting on five goals.
On a brutally hot afternoon at MeLife Stadium, site of the World Cup final on July 20, France outshot Sweden 25-7, including 15-3 in the first half.
Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on July 5 in Philadelphia, and the winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
It was 32C, sunny and humid at the 5pm (local time) kickoff with poor air quality. During the first half hydration break, France defender Lucas Digne let himself be doused by a sprinkler.
Mbappé hit a post in the 32nd minute, raising both hands in disgust, and France nearly went ahead four minutes later on Olise’s spectacular bicycle kick from just inside the penalty area, which also clanked off a post.
In the first World Cup meeting between the nations, Mbappé scored after goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström tipped Olise’s shot just outside the post.
Olise played a short corner kick to Ousmane Dembélé, who passed to Mbappé near the byline. Mbappé took a crossover step to get around Viktor Gyökeres and, from just outside the 6-yard box, sent a diagonal shot inside the far post.
Mbappé ran up the centre of the field to celebrate his 61st international goal, colliding with Dembélé, and jogged to the bench to hug Deschamps, who returned for the match after going to France for his mother’s funeral.
Gustaf Lagerbielke lost the ball ahead of France’s second goal. Aurélien Tchouaméni passed to Olise, who nutmegged Lagerbielke, and Barcola took a centring touch and sent the ball past Zetterström’s outstretched right hand.
Mbappé entertained the crowd with a backheel pass to Barcola in the buildup to France’s third goal. Barcola passed to Olise, who passed to Mbappé as the star sprinted into the penalty area. He steadied the ball with a touch and fired the ball inside the far post.
A majority of fans wore France’s blue, with a pocket in Sweden’s yellow at one end. A crowd of 80,663 raised the record total for the expanded 104-match tournament above 5 million.
Watch: Magnificent Messi lights-up World Cup with hattrick against Algeria
Messi scored his first goal in the opening minutes off a nifty feed from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the second early in the second half, and the third moments before subbing out to a standing ovation.
Wed, Jun 17
1:17
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The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including the stars handed out to restaurants across the country and another thrilling FIFA world cup game. (Source: 1News)
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