Philadelphia: Kylian Mbapp© scored the winning goal from a penalty, helping France narrowly defeat Paraguay 1-0 and advance to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, where they will face Morocco. In the Round of 16 match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, USA, France faced Paraguay. France dominated possession but couldn't break through Paraguay's solid defense and aggressive tackling. In the 65th minute, D©sir© Duet dribbled into the penalty area before being fouled by Diego G³mez. After a VAR check, France were awarded a penalty. Kylian Mbapp© converted, giving France a 1-0 lead. This goal also marked his seventh in the 2026 World Cup, equaling Lionel Messi's record, but putting him ahead of the top scorer list on assists. France ultimately won 1-0, securing their place in the quarter-finals.
According to Thai News Agency, after the game, Didier Deschamps, head coach of the French national team, expressed satisfaction with the result, despite only winning 1-0. He praised his team for remaining calm and not falling into the opponent's traps, noting that the Paraguayan players played aggressively throughout the game, employing many dirty tactics and provocations. He instructed his players to stick to the game plan and focus on what they are best at, which they did, a positive outcome.
Orland Gill, the Paraguayan national team goalkeeper who was named Man of the Match, addressed his post-match incident of throwing the ball at Kylian Mbapp©, saying he didn't intend to do that. He explained that this is football, and he extended his hand to congratulate Mbapp©, but Mbapp© ignored him. Gill admitted he was a bit emotional at the time but calmed down afterward and simply wanted to congratulate them. He added that France performed excellently and are strong contenders for the championship.
French football fans celebrated outside Lincoln Financial Field after France narrowly defeated Paraguay to advance to the quarter-finals. Fans, wearing French national team shirts, waved flags, sang songs, and took photos, expressing their hopes for a third French Cup title.
In another match at NRG Stadium in Houston, USA, co-hosts Canada faced Morocco. The first half ended 0-0. In the second half, in the 50th minute, Morocco took the lead 1-0 through Azzedine Unahi, who ran in and fired a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, the ball finding the corner beautifully.
In the 82nd minute, Morocco extended their lead to 2-0 when Brahim Diaz passed the ball to Azzedine Unahi, who fired a superb shot into the top corner for his second goal of the game. In stoppage time (90+8 minutes), Sofiane Rahimi scored the final goal, securing a 3-0 victory for Morocco and sending them through to the quarter-finals to face France on July 9th.
After the game, Morocco national team coach Mohamed Ouahby praised his players, stating that Morocco is no longer an underdog team that surprises everyone. He said that when people talk about Morocco, they are talking about a team that is a true contender for the championship, which is something to be very proud of as a coach. Regarding the next game against France, a rematch of the semi-final from the last World Cup where Morocco lost 0-2, Ouahby said that the team isn't focused on revenge, but rather on playing their best to achieve victory.
Moroccan national team fans in Casablanca celebrated their victory with joy, expressing hope that their beloved team would go on to win the World Cup after their impressive performance.
The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for tonight at 3:00 AM: Brazil vs. Norway, and tomorrow morning at 7:00 AM: Mexico vs. England.