KYLIAN MBAPPE ignored the penalty mind games to deliver the Workd Cup knock-out blow in Rocky’s home town.
France had suffered 70 minutes of deep frustration against a Paraguay side marking Independence Day with the sort of resolute muscularity that wrenched America from British hands 250 years ago.
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Kylian Mbappe coolly slotted past Orlando Gill to give France the advantage Credit: Reuters
Mbappe is now level with Lionel Messi in the race for the World Cup golden boot Credit: Getty
But it simply had to be golden boy Mbappe who would find the way to settle it with the nerveless spot kick.
Mbappe, though, was the first to credit Desire Doue, who came off the bench to give Didier Deschamps’ side the invention and dash they needed to break the South Americans down.
On a broiling, boiling afternoon which saw tempers almost as high as the suffocating temperatures, France were in danger of being dragged into one of THOSE games.
But Doue’s dance into the box, soon after his arrival from the bench, was crudely ended by Brighton’s Diego Gomez with a blatant trip missed on the pitch but not by the VAR.
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Despite some brilliant “housery”, with centre-back Gustavo Velazquez scuffing up the spot, Mbappe kept his head to find the bottom corner and go level with Lionel Messi on seven for the tournament.
And it was enough to send France through to face Morocco in Boston on Thursday for a rematch of the 2022 Qatar semi-final.
With the temperature touching 100 Fahrenheit at kick-off – nobody could question the need for hydration breaks this time – it took a long time to get going.
Paraguay defended so deep they needed oxygen, meaning Les Bleus had all the possession, 80 per cent in the first half, and needed to make the game.
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IT’S A KNOCKOUT
The knockout stages of the World Cup are hotting up.
England believe football might finally be coming home after 60 years of hurt, with Harry Kane on fire.
But the likes of France, Spain, Brazil and Argentina are all serious contenders to go all the way.
Heavyweights Germany and the Netherlands have both been knocked out on penalties in the Round of 32.
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Paraguay were slammed their horrible antics against France Credit: Getty
It kicked off after full-time in Philadelphia Credit: Getty
And when France did try to play round them, they were caught late and off the ball a few times as well.
Olise and Mbappe in particular were being targeted for treatment, with Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev seemingly oblivious to the kicks and digs, allowing it to fester.
Mbappe’s reaction to a foul by Andres Cubas sparked a 20-man dust-up before he was whacked off the ball by a swinging arm from Matias Galarza.
No reaction from the officials here or in Dallas.
It added up to stop-start affair, with more stops than starts and only one on-target shot before the interval, a half-hit Kounde effort that bobbled into the keeper’s arms.
Exactly as Paraguay’s wily coach Gustavo Alfaro had planned, helped by the staggering inadequacies of the ref.
But unlike anyone else so far, they had found a way to stop France playing.
Yes, Ousmane Dembele had nearly picked out Mbappe with one cross but this was far from the fantasy football Deschamps’ men had demonstrated earlier in the tournament.
Kylian Mbappe’s frustrations boiled over Credit: AP
Paraguay players tried to scuff up the penalty spot Credit: Getty
Dembele, receiving a quick Mbappe corner, fired into the side-netting at the start of the second period.
Finally there was some urgency, Kouadio Kone, in for the injured Aurelian Tchouameni, extending keeper Orlando Gill for the first time with a 20-yarder that was flipped behind.
But it was the arrival of Doue, for PSG club-mate Bradley Barcola, that unlocked the door.
One foul on him went unpunished but the next, a blatant trip by Gomez after he went past three into the box off the left flank, was spotted in the Texas booth.
Even the next chapter from Paraguay’s Book of the Dark Arts failed to stop Mbappe sending Gill the wrong way. It was enough.
