France advanced to the World Cup round of 16 after a commanding 3-0 victory against Sweden on Tuesday at MetLife Stadium. Kylian Mbappe netted twice, while Michael Olise provided a standout performance, setting up the squad for a future match against Paraguay.
Mbappe broke the stalemate shortly before halftime, concluding a fluid attacking sequence. France controlled the match throughout, forcing the woodwork twice before securing their lead in front of 80,663 spectators. The dominance continued early in the second half when Olise assisted Bradley Barcola for the second goal in the 53rd minute. Mbappe later extended the lead to three, bringing his tournament tally to six goals, tying him with Lionel Messi in the golden boot standings. This double also moved the French captain to 18 total World Cup career goals, just one shy of Messi’s record.
The match was significant for coach Didier Deschamps, who recently returned from his mother’s funeral. Deschamps, who plans to step down after the tournament, was embraced by Mbappe following the first goal. Sweden, managed by Graham Potter, struggled to gain possession despite having offensive threats like Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, ultimately exiting the competition. France will now prepare to face Paraguay in Philadelphia this Saturday.
