Mbappé nets twice as France beat Sweden 3-0 and set up Paraguay clash

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (AP): Kylian Mbappé and France carried their strong form into another demanding afternoon at MetLife Stadium, where intense heat added to the pressure of knockout football.

The 27-year-old forward delivered his third two-goal performance of this World Cup and moved past every previous player for goals in the tournament's elimination phase. His efforts helped Les Bleus defeat Sweden 3-0 yesterday and secure a Round of 16 meeting with Paraguay.

"I personally haven't seen a better team," Sweden coach Graham Potter said.

Mbappé opened the scoring with a sharp stepover in the 45th minute and struck again in the 74th to bring his tournament total to six. That tally drew him level with Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring chart. Across 18 World Cup appearances, Mbappé now has 18 goals, one fewer than the Argentine's career mark of 19 from 29 matches.

Bradley Barcola added France's other goal in the 53rd minute. With the victory, France became the first country to register at least three goals in five straight World Cup fixtures.

"I'm very aware of who I am, how I play, what I shall do, but it's not just about me," Mbappé said through a translator. "The entire team is aware of what should be done. It is a new competition that has started today. We did play well, but we were timid. We could have done better at the beginning."

Mbappé's 10 goals in World Cup knockout games exceed the former benchmark of eight shared by Brazilian legends Leonidas and Ronaldo.

France coach Didier Deschamps bowed toward Mbappé when the star left the pitch after an 85th-minute substitution.

"We're on a mission – so am I with them," Deschamps said through a translator.

France have now scored 13 times while conceding only twice in the tournament. Michael Olise has recorded five assists, matching the World Cup high last reached by Germany's Thomas Hassler in 1994.

"They are skilled at knowing when to change the pace and increase it, when to possess the ball, went to fall back," Sweden captain Victor Lindelöf said through a translator.

Chasing a third consecutive World Cup final, France will face Paraguay on July 4 in Philadelphia. The victor will meet either Canada or Morocco in a quarterfinal five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) at the 5 p.m. kickoff, with sunshine, humidity, and poor air quality at the venue that will host the final on July 19. Several supporters in premium sections remained inside air-conditioned suites.

In the teams' first World Cup encounter, France outshot Sweden 25-7, including a 15-3 edge in the first half.

Mbappé struck the post in the 32nd minute and raised his hands in frustration. Four minutes later, Olise nearly broke the deadlock with an acrobatic bicycle kick from just inside the penalty area, but that effort also hit the woodwork.

"I said I think we needed a couple of miracles. We had a couple, but we ran out of them," Potter said. "So we needed a few more."

France's opening goal came after goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström pushed Olise's effort just wide of the post. Olise took a short corner to Ousmane Dembélé, who found Mbappé near the byline. Mbappé used a stepover to beat Viktor Gyökeres and, from just outside the six-yard box, curled a diagonal shot inside the far post.

Mbappé sprinted toward midfield to celebrate, bumped into Dembélé, and then made his way to the bench to embrace Deschamps, who had returned to the sideline after travelling to France for his mother's funeral.

"He knows that he will never be alone with us, and we will support him," Mbappé said.

Gustaf Lagerbielke gave the ball away before France's second strike. Aurélien Tchouaméni played a pass to Olise, who nutmegged Lagerbielke, and Barcola took a centring touch before beating Zetterström at his right-hand post.

Mbappé delighted the crowd with a backheel to Barcola during the move that produced France's third goal, the 62nd of his international career. Barcola fed Olise, who pushed the ball forward as Mbappé raced into the box, controlled it, and finished inside the far post.

"We continue to deliver great performances," Mbappé said.