France secured their passage to the round of 16 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden at MetLife Stadium, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice to extend his World Cup legacy. The Bleus’ clinical finishing and tactical superiority proved too much for the Scandinavians as France maintained their perfect tournament record and advanced with authority.
Mbappe finished a superb move to break the deadlock just before halftime in the last-32 tie watched by 80,663 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, after France had already hit the woodwork twice – once through Mbappe and once through Olise.
The French were on top throughout against a limited Swedish side, utterly dominating in terms of possession and shots on goal.
Olise set up Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola for the second on 53 minutes, and then delivered a delightful pass for Mbappe to complete a convincing victory.
Mbappe’s strikes saw him move level with Lionel Messi on six goals in the all-star golden boot race at this World Cup.
The France captain now has 18 World Cup goals in total, meaning he is just one behind Messi’s overall record of 19 – a mark which 27-year-old Mbappe will keep chasing.
He celebrated his first goal by running across to embrace coach Didier Deschamps, who missed France’s final group game against Norway to travel home for his mother’s funeral.
Deschamps will step down at the end of the competition after 14 highly successful years in charge.
Going out in the last 32 would have been such an anti-climactic way to depart for Deschamps, who captained the first France team to win the World Cup in 1998 and coached them to glory in 2018.
In 1998, France’s run to victory on home soil included a 1-0 last-16 win over Paraguay, when Laurent Blanc scored a golden goal in extra time.
Les Bleus will face the South Americans in the last 16 again this time, on Saturday in Philadelphia.
France will be fully expected to win and march on.