EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Kylian Mbappé put France ahead with a brilliant crossover step in the 45th minute and then added a second-half goal to break a World Cup knockout-round scoring record, leading Les Bleus to a 3-0 victory over Sweden on Tuesday. The win sets up a round of 16 match against Paraguay.
Mbappé's Record-Breaking Performance
Bradley Barcola added a 53rd-minute goal for France, and Mbappé capped the scoring in the 74th minute for his third two-goal game in four matches. His six goals tied Argentina forward Lionel Messi for the tournament lead and gave him 18 in his World Cup career, one shy of Messi's record. Mbappé's 10 knockout-round goals are two more than the previous high by Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo.
“I’m very aware of who I am, how I play, what I shall do, but it’s not just about me,” Mbappé said through a translator. “The entire team is aware of what should be done. It is a new competition that has started today. We did play well, but we were timid. We could have done better at the beginning.”
France's Dominance on the Field
France, the World Cup runner-up four years ago and a tournament favorite this time, has outscored opponents 13-2, with Michael Olise assisting on five goals. France outshot Sweden 25-7, including 15-3 in the first half. The match was played on a brutally hot afternoon at MetLife Stadium, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), sunny and humid at the 5 p.m. kickoff with poor air quality.
France coach Didier Deschamps bowed when his star came to the bench after he was substituted in the 85th minute. “We’re on a mission. — so am I with them,” Deschamps said through a translator. Deschamps had returned for the match after going to France for his mother’s funeral. “He knows that he will never be alone with us and we will support him,” Mbappé said.
Key Moments and Goals
Mbappé hit a post in the 32nd minute, raising both hands in disgust, and France nearly went ahead four minutes later on Olise’s spectacular bicycle kick from just inside the penalty area, which also clanked off a post. In the first World Cup meeting between the nations, Mbappé scored after goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström tipped Olise’s shot just outside the post. Olise played a short corner kick to Ousmane Dembélé, who passed to Mbappé near the byline. Mbappé took a crossover step to get around Viktor Gyökeres and from just outside the 6-yard box sent a diagonal shot inside the far post.
Gustaf Lagerbielke lost the ball ahead of France’s second goal. Aurélien Tchouaméni passed to Olise, who nutmegged Lagerbielke, and Barcola took a centering touch and sent the ball past Zetterström’s outstretched right hand. Mbappé entertained the crowd with a backheel pass to Barcola in the buildup to France’s third goal. Barcola passed to Olise, who passed to Mbappé as the star sprinted into the penalty area. He steadied the ball with a touch and fired the ball inside the far post.
Sweden's Perspective
“They are skilled at knowing when to change the pace and increase it, when to possess the ball, went to fall back,” Sweden captain Victor Lindelöf said through a translator. “If we look at where we were not so long ago — we’re here and we’ve played in the World Cup,” Lindelöf said. “We lost against one of the best countries in the world.”
Looking Ahead
Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on July 4 in Philadelphia, and the winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts. A crowd of 80,663 raised the record total for the expanded 104-match tournament above 5 million. A majority of fans wore France’s blue, with a pocket in Sweden’s yellow at one end. Mbappé wasn’t quite ready to turn his attention to Paraguay just yet. “I’m looking forward to the changing room and the AC,” he said.
