Overview
- France beat Paraguay 1-0 on Saturday when Kylian Mbappé converted a penalty after VAR review, securing a quarterfinal meeting with Morocco in Foxborough on July 9.
- The penalty followed a foul by Diego Gomez on substitute Désiré Doué that the on-field referee initially missed before the video assistant referee ordered a review and a spot kick was given.
- Coverage singled out Paraguay’s deliberate, physical game plan, with multiple late tackles and time-wasting, and widespread criticism that referee Ilgiz Tantashev issued no yellow cards to Paraguayan players despite numerous fouls.
- Three French players—Michael Olise, Manu Koné and Bradley Barcola—received yellow cards in the match and now face suspension risk if they are cautioned again before the tournament’s disciplinary reset.
- The game was played in extreme heat that affected tempo, Doué’s substitute impact proved decisive, and post-match comments from Mbappé and Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro highlighted the emotional and human sides of a fraught contest that may intensify scrutiny of officiating standards.