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Kylian Mbappe netted the decisive goal from the penalty spot as France sealed their place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay on Saturday evening. The South American side, who had stunned Germany in the previous round, were always expected to be tricky opponents for the tournament favourites. Yet, it was still surprising to see Didier Deschamps’ highly rated forward line struggle to generate meaningful chances in Philadelphia.

France offered little in the opening half, and it took until the 70th minute for them to finally make the breakthrough. Diego Gomez’s reckless challenge on Desire Doue inside the box handed France the perfect opportunity, and despite being starved of clear service up to that point, Mbappe coolly slotted home the penalty to end Paraguay’s determined resistance.

Gustavo Alfaro’s organised and disciplined side attempted to push forward in the closing stages, but they rarely looked capable of finding an equaliser. Below is how the France players fared as Deschamps’ team set up a thrilling quarter-final clash with Morocco, even though this was arguably their least convincing display of the summer so far.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Mike Maignan (6/10): The AC Milan shot-stopper had to be alert to claim a few crosses but remained largely untroubled throughout the match.

Jules Kounde (6/10): Had little to do defensively, which allowed him to venture forward frequently down the flank.

Dayot Upamecano (6/10): On the few occasions Paraguay threatened, the Bayern Munich defender used his physical power effectively to snuff out any danger.

William Saliba (6/10): A calm and composed display from the Arsenal centre-back. His pace ensured he was never under any genuine pressure during the game.

Lucas Digne (6/10): Offered limited attacking support but remained solid defensively.

Midfield

Manu Kone (7/10): Despite receiving a yellow card for a rash tackle, he was one of France’s standout performers. Produced one of the team’s best attempts on goal, forcing Orlando Gill into a fine save from long range.

Adrien Rabiot (5/10): Worked hard and absorbed a few heavy challenges, but it was another performance that left observers questioning his influence in midfield.

Attack

Ousmane Dembele (5/10): Delivered a couple of decent crosses but fell well below the level expected from a player of his calibre.

Michael Olise (4/10): A disappointing outing from the Bayern Munich talent. Created just one chance all game, and that too came in stoppage time as Paraguay began to commit men forward.

Bradley Barcola (4/10): Looked lively on a few occasions but faded quickly. The Paris Saint-Germain winger was replaced by his club teammate Desire Doue just after the hour mark.

Kylian Mbappe (7/10): By his high standards, it was a relatively quiet evening until he broke the deadlock with a composed penalty. He might feel he should have added another late on. His goal draws him level with Lionel Messi on seven in the Golden Boot race.

Substitutes & Manager

Desire Doue (7/10): Introduced in the 61st minute and made an immediate impact by winning the penalty just five minutes later. His performance strengthens his case for a starting role against Morocco.

Rayan Cherki (N/A): Came on for Dembele with less than five minutes of regular time remaining.

Didier Deschamps (6/10): Will be slightly frustrated by his team’s lack of creativity, although breaking down Paraguay was always going to be tough. He will be relieved to have avoided a major upset but will know that France must rediscover their attacking rhythm for the quarter-final against Morocco. Perhaps a more proactive use of substitutes could help in that regard.