Mbappé penalty lifts France past Paraguay into World Cup quarterfinals

Kylian Mbappé converted a 70th-minute penalty kick to give France a 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the World Cup Round of 16 on Saturday in Philadelphia, sending Les Bleus into the quarterfinals for a fourth consecutive tournament.espn+2

A Frustrating Affair Settled From the Spot

France dominated possession but struggled to break down a compact Paraguayan defense under extreme heat in Philadelphia, where temperatures approached 100°F. Les Bleus managed just one shot on target in the first half — a tame effort from Jules Koundé rolled into goalkeeper Orlando Gill's arms.nytimes+1

The breakthrough came when substitute Désiré Doué injected pace into a French attack and was brought down in the penalty area by Diego Gómez. Mbappé drilled the resulting spot kick into the bottom corner for his seventh goal of the tournament, drawing level with Lionel Messi atop the Golden Boot race with 19 career World Cup goals.espn+3

Morocco Cruise Past Canada

Earlier on Saturday in Houston, Morocco dispatched co-hosts Canada 3-0 to become the first nation into the quarterfinals. Azzedine Ounahi scored twice — first sweeping home from the edge of the box after an Achraf Hakimi pullback in the 50th minute, then smashing in a counter-attack finish in the 82nd. Soufiane Rahimi added a third deep in stoppage time as Morocco reached the last eight for the second time, having finished fourth at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.espn+1

Quarterfinal Set for Boston Stadium

France and Morocco will meet on Thursday, July 9, at Boston Stadium — Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, renamed by FIFA for the duration of the tournament. The matchup reprises the 2022 World Cup semifinal, which France won 2-0 en route to the final. For Morocco, the contest represents another chance to make history as an African side in the latter stages of the competition.cbsnews+1