By Izuchukwu Okosi
France beat Paraguay 1-0 Saturday night in their round of 16 game to qualify for the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 1998 and 2018 World Cup winners scored the only goal of the game through Kylian Mbappe who converted from the spot kick.
The goal from 12 yards was Mbappe’s seventh of the ongoing World Cup and his 10th in six consecutive matches in the tournament’s history.
That goal sees the superstar of Cameroon descent at par with Lionel Messi on the same goalscorers’ charts.
Saturday’s game descended into a physical battle as the Paraguayans resorted to niggling tackles and unprofessional attitudes that saw them earn four yellow cards while France had two.
France will play against African champions Morocco on Monday in Boston as they battle for a place in the semifinals.
