France defeats Paraguay in a scorching match to advance to the quarter-finals

In Philadelphia, where temperatures reached 38°C, France secured a 1-0 win over Paraguay in the Copa-26 Liberta match. The atmosphere was tense even before kick-off at Lincoln Financial Field. France struggled to find their rhythm in the first half as Paraguay played solid defense. Only Doué's entry changed the situation when he won a penalty kick, which Mbappé confidently converted, giving France the lead. Paraguay was unable to threaten their opponents' goal in the first half, and France was unable to dominate the game, despite having more possession of the ball. The Paraguayan defense line effectively neutralized the French attacks. All these tactical moves were reminiscent of Copa Libertadores style, and the first half ended with no shots on target - the last time that happened in the France-Brazil match in 2006.  After the break, France increased their tempo and Kone scored the first shot on target of the match, forcing goalkeeper Orlando Gil to make a good save. Doué's entry was crucial to breaking down the Paraguayan defense. After being fouled, Mbappé confidently converted the penalty to score his 19th World Cup goal, equalizing the score with Messi. Towards the end of the match, tensions rose as Paraguay tried to make up the deficit, but only Mauricio's shot was a real threat. Mbappé had a few more chances to increase the score, but Gil twice rose to the occasion. Although France faced resistance from its opponent, it won thanks to its outstanding quality. Now France will face Morocco in the quarter-finals, which will take place on Thursday (9) in Boston, at 17:00 Brazilian time. The winner of this match will play in the semi-finals against Portugal, Spain, USA or Belgium. Meanwhile, Paraguay, after successfully returning to the World Cup since 2010, ended their participation in the tournament at the group stage. --- ## Related Articles 1. [Quem apostaria contra a França ganhando outra Copa do Mundo?](https://torcidanet.live/pt/news/quem-apostaria-contra-a-franca-ganhando-outra-copa-do-mundo) 2. [World Cup 2026](https://torcidanet.live/pt/news/como-assistir-holanda-x-suecia-canal-de-tv-streaming-ao-vivo-horario-fox-sports)