France Endures Paraguay’s ‘Dark Arts’ to Reach World Cup Quarter-Finals

France has advanced to the quarter-finals of the World Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay, a match that was overshadowed by the South American side’s aggressive and unsportsmanlike conduct. Kylian Mbappe’s second-half penalty proved to be the decisive moment in a match described by some observers as showcasing “dark arts.”

Paraguay, who had surprised many by eliminating Germany in the previous round, adopted a physical approach from the outset in the punishing Philadelphia heat. Numerous instances of fouls and provocation drew criticism from former players and pundits watching the match.

Tactical Frustration

Despite dismantling opponents earlier in the tournament, France found themselves in a frustrating battle against Paraguay’s tactics. The match was characterized by numerous fouls, with players like Andres Cubas and Juan Jose Caceres making tackles that drew attention. Astonishingly, while several French players, including Manu Kone, Bradley Barcola, and Michael Olise, received yellow cards, no Paraguayan player was booked during the 90 minutes. Even a late elbow from Gabriel Avalos into Dayot Upamecano’s stomach went unpunished.

“Paraguay’s players were an absolute disgrace,” former England goalkeeper Joe Hart commented on BBC One. “If they were on my team, I’d be dragging them off the pitch.” Former England defender Micah Richards added, “It was embarrassing to see. Paraguay are better than that. Defensively they were so good and they didn’t need to get into these antics.”

Key Facts

Penalty Decides Match

The decisive moment arrived with 20 minutes left on the clock when Desire Doue was brought down in the box. Referee Ilgiz Tantashev, whose control of the match was heavily scrutinized, awarded a penalty after reviewing the incident. Even before Mbappe took the spot-kick, Paraguay players attempted to delay the proceedings, with Gustavo Velazquez notably trying to scuff up the penalty spot. Mbappe converted his seventh goal of the tournament, leveling with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.

French coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged the challenges, stating, “There were some insults from the other bench we could have done without.” He also revealed instructing players to shield Mbappe in the closing stages due to Paraguay’s attempts to foul him.

Mbappe’s World Cup Record

Kylian Mbappe’s penalty continued his impressive World Cup goal-scoring record. He now has 19 goals in 19 tournament games, placing him level with Lionel Messi in the current competition. Since 2018, Mbappe has scored more World Cup knockout stage goals (11) than several major footballing nations.

Despite the frustrating nature of the match, France found a way to win. Mbappe himself commented, “We know how to play ugly football. They [Paraguay] thought we’d show up in tuxedos, but we were ready. Even at that game, we were better than them.”

Quarter-Final Bound

France’s victory sets up a quarter-final clash against Morocco at Boston Stadium. The team acknowledged the importance of experiencing such a tough, physical match during the tournament. “We knew it was going to be a fiercely contested match,” said France’s Rayan Cherki. “But it was important to us to play a game like this during the World Cup – to remind everyone that the French team can play beautiful football, but can also go to war.” Defender William Saliba added, “It’s not easy, but sometimes it feels good to win a tough match like this, because since the start of the tournament, we’ve been used to scoring three goals. Today, it was a 1-0 win, but it’s just as valuable.”

Source: Yahoo Sports – https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/france-survive-paraguays-disgraceful-embarrassing-015308260.html