Mbappe penalty leads France to win over Paraguay and World Cup quarterfinals

Kylian Mbappe converted a second-half penalty as France edged Paraguay 1-0 on Saturday to book a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, overcoming their South American opponents in a physical contest amidst sweltering conditions in Philadelphia.

Paraguay frustrated Les Bleus for much of the afternoon, disrupting the two time Champions' rhythm with aggressive defending and frequent challenges. Tempers flared on several occasions, with both teams involved in heated exchanges before the breakthrough finally arrived after a VAR review awarded France a penalty in the 70th minute.

France captain Mbappe calmly dispatched the spot kick after Diego Gomez was penalized for bringing down Desire Doue, scoring what was the only goal of the game. The Real Madrid forward also had several chances to extend the lead late on, but Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill produced a series of impressive saves to keep his side in the contest.

The match ended on a sour note when Gill attempted to shake Mbappe's hand after the final whistle and the Frenchman went past without reciprocation. The Paraguay shot-stopper then threw the ball toward his opponent before later admitting he had briefly "lost his temper."

Played amidst an extreme heat warning with temperatures approaching 38 degrees Celsius, the round-of-16 encounter tested both teams physically. Hydration breaks were essential as players battled through the intense conditions, while France coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged that the weather made it difficult to maintain his side's usual high-intensity style.

France has now reached the World Cup quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive tournament and will face Morocco on Thursday for a place in the last four. Deschamps welcomed the hard-fought victory, saying his players benefited from being pushed against Paraguay who upset four time Champions Germany in the round of 16 on penalties.  

In the other clash of the day, Morocco's 3-0 victory over Canada sent the Atlas Lions into the World Cup quarterfinals and further underlined their status as one of the tournament's standout teams.

Azzedine Ounahi scored twice in the second half to decide a tight contest after a goalless opening period, while Soufiane Rahimi added a late third goal in stoppage time to seal victory for the North African side in Houston.

Canada started the match strongly and created several early chances, but Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made key saves to deny Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi and prevent his side from conceding. 

The breakthrough came five minutes after the restart when Achraf Hakimi's quick free-kick found Ounahi, who finished low into the corner through a crowded penalty area.

Ounahi struck again late in the match after being played through by former Spain youth team player Brahim Díaz, finishing a swift counterattack to put the result beyond doubt before Rahimi added a third in stoppage time.

The defeat ended co-host Canada's historic World Cup run after its first-ever knockout-stage win in the last 32 against South Africa. Morocco now advances to face France who eliminated them in the semi-finals of the tournament four years ago in the last eight in Foxborough.