France secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the World Cup round of 16, with Kylian Mbappe scoring a second-half penalty. The match at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia was played in sweltering heat before 68,324 fans.

Mbappe's 70th-minute spot-kick moved him level with Lionel Messi as the tournament's joint-top scorer with seven goals. The Real Madrid striker now has 19 World Cup goals in 19 appearances, just one behind Messi's all-time record.

Paraguay, ranked 41st in the world, employed a defensive strategy with a back five and low block, frustrating France for most of the match. They had previously eliminated Germany on penalties and aimed for another upset.

France dominated possession but struggled to create clear chances until substitute Desire Doue was fouled by Diego Gomez in the box. Uzbek referee awarded the penalty after a VAR review.

Didier Deschamps' side will now face Morocco in the quarter-finals in Foxborough on July 4. Morocco earlier beat Canada 3-0.

The match coincided with the 250th anniversary of US independence, featuring a pre-game concert and Air Force flyover. France's 1998 World Cup-winning campaign also included a 1-0 win over Paraguay at this stage, via a golden goal.

Source: www.aljazeera.com