France show another side to their game as they progress

Facing an impenetrable lineup, as abrasive as sandpaper, packed with gangland-style defenders (Velázquez, Galarza, Cáceres), France escaped the maze thanks to a penalty converted by Mbappé. It was an unappealing match, played in 40°C heat, against a compact Paraguay and an Uzbek referee who mistook tolerance for inaction. Referees of that kind have no place at a World Cup. Even so, France managed to break through the concrete and reach the quarterfinals with more relief than satisfaction.

Given France’s enriched-uranium firepower, Alfaro sent Paraguay to the barricades: three centre-backs, flanked by his first-choice full-backs, with five midfielders ahead of them. A wall behind another wall, and no recognised striker. He had started with three forwards in each of the previous four matches, but this time left them all out, deploying Enciso as little more than a scout. In short, everyone into the nuclear shelter, with the sole objective of ensuring that the only thing allowed to pass was time.

France, therefore, found themselves chewing on screws, trying to operate around a penalty area where there was barely room for a soul. The match was compressed into 20 metres with an exceptionally high population density. They tried everything: stretching the full-backs to the touchlines, switching Dembélé and Olise, using double agents between the wing and attacking midfield, pulling Mbappé away from the thicket and sending crosses into the box. Nothing worked. The combination to the safe remained indecipherable. Deschamps’ side suffered more than Paraguay, who are well accustomed to living inside concrete. France’s meagre first-half report amounted to three long-range efforts from Koné, Rabiot and Koundé, plus an off-target header from Mbappé.

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The game changed little after the break. If anything, France sharpened the speed of their combinations, the master key for locks like this. Koné also improved his accuracy, forcing the giant Gill into the save of the match as he stretched his opposite hand to claw the ball away from the top corner. Even then, Paraguay refused to take the bait. They would not allow themselves to be caught on the counter, leaving not a millimetre of space unoccupied despite losing players to muscle problems.

The plan finally unravelled when Diego Gómez conceded an unnecessary VAR-awarded penalty for a foul on Doué, which Mbappé converted to continue his pursuit of Messi. Only then did Alfaro introduce attackers, Mauricio and Ávalos, clinging to the hope that a set piece might produce a miracle. France never allowed that opportunity to arise and, in the end, solved the puzzle.

Paraguay

• 12 Orlando Gill
• 6 Junior Alonso
• 15 Gustavo Gómez
• 3 Omar Alderete (57')
• 2 Víctor Velázquez
• 4 Juan José Cáceres
• 23 Matías Galarza
• 14 Adrián Cubas
• 10 Miguel Ángel Almirón (70')
• 8 Diego Gómez (70')
• 19 Julio Enciso (60')
• Substitutes
• 22 Gastón Olveira
• 13 José Canale (57')
• 1 Roberto Fernández
• 16 Damián Bobadilla
• 26 Alexandro Maidana
• 25 Isidro Pitta
• 17 Alejandro Romero
• 9 Sanabria
• 21 Gabriel Ávalos (70')
• 24 Gustavo Caballero (60')-
• 11 Mauricio (70')
• 5 Fabián Balbuena
• 20 Braian Ojeda
• 18 Álex Arce
• 7 Ramón Sosa

France

• 16 Mike Maignan
• 17 William Saliba
• 5 Koundé
• 3 Digne
• 4 Dayotchanculle Upamecano
• 12 Bradley Barcola (60')
• 11 Michael Olise
• 6 Kouadio Kone
• 7 Ousmane Dembélé (83')
• 14 Rabiot
• 10 Mbappé
• Substitutes
• 1 Samba Brice
• 21 Lucas
• 15 Ibrahima Konate
• 13 Kante
• 8 Tchouameni
• 2 Malo Gusto
• 26 Maxence Lacroix
• 19 Theo Hernández
• 20 Désiré Doué (60')
• 22 Mateta
• 9 Marcus Thuram
• 25 Maghnes Akliouche
• 23 Robin Risser
• 24 Mathis Cherki (83')SC
• 18 Warren Zaïre-Emery

Substitutions

José Canale (57', Omar Alderete), Gustavo Caballero (60', Julio Enciso), Désiré Doué (60', Bradley Barcola), Gabriel Ávalos (70', Miguel Almirón), Mauricio (70', Diego Gómez), Rayan Cherki (83', Ousmane Dembélé)

Goals

0-1, 69': Mbappé

Cards

Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev
VAR Referee: Juan Lara, Marco Di Bello
Bradley Barcola (18',Yellow), Kouadio Kone (80',Yellow), Michael Olise (96',Yellow)