France beat Sweden to move into World Cup last 16
France booked their place in the FIFA World Cup last 16 with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Sweden. Kylian Mbappe scored twice, while Michael Olise delivered another outstanding performance to help France dominate the Round of 32 match.
France controlled the game from the opening whistle and created several chances before finally taking the lead just before half-time. Mbappe finished a superb team move after France had already struck the woodwork twice, once through him and once through Michael Olise.
The French side continued to dominate after the break and doubled its advantage in the 53rd minute. Michael Olise delivered a brilliant pass to Bradley Barcola, who finished confidently to put France firmly in control.
Olise continued to trouble Sweden’s defence throughout the match. He later provided another perfectly weighted pass for Mbappe, allowing the France captain to score his second goal in the 74th minute and complete a convincing 3-0 victory.
With his two goals, Mbappe moved level with Lionel Messi on six goals in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot. He also took his overall FIFA World Cup tally to 18 goals, leaving him just one goal behind Messi’s career World Cup record of 19.
Also Read: Paraguay beat Germany on penalties to reach last 16
Mbappe celebrated his opening goal by embracing head coach Didier Deschamps. The France coach had missed the team’s final group-stage match after travelling home following the death of his mother.
France will now face Paraguay in the FIFA World Cup last 16 in Philadelphia. The fixture brings back memories of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, when France defeated Paraguay in the Round of 16 before going on to win the tournament.
Sweden struggled to cope with France’s attacking quality despite featuring talented forwards such as Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak, and Anthony Elanga. Although Sweden reached the knockout stage through the play-offs, they were unable to create enough chances against the impressive French side.
France head into the next round full of confidence after another dominant display, while Sweden’s FIFA World Cup campaign comes to an end.
