Kylian Mbappé broke the record for most goals in World Cup knockout matches and moved within a single goal of Lionel Messi's overall tournament mark, as his two goals led France to a dominant 3-0 win over Sweden at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday.
The victory, France's biggest in a World Cup knockout match since their 3-0 win over Brazil in the 1998 final, sets up a round-of-16 matchup against Germany's conquerors Paraguay.
"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 scored a terrific individual effort in the 45th minute, following a brilliant crossover step.
That was the Real Madrid star's ninth goal in the knockout stage of the World Cup, breaking a tie with Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo for the most in the history of the tournament.
The 27-year-old Mbappé ran immediately to coach Didier Deschamps after scoring. This was Deschamps' first game back on the sideline after missing the group stage finale against Norway to fly back to Europe for his mother's funeral.
"He knows that he will never be alone with us and we will support him," Mbappé said.
But Mbappé wasn't done yet. After Bradley Barcola scored France's second goal early in the second half, Mbappé added a classy third in the 74th minute, latching onto a perfectly weighted pass from Michael Olise and finishing expertly into the far side of the net.
Mbappé's sixth goal of this year's tournament tied him with Argentina forward Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. With 18 goals in 18 World Cup games, he moved one behind Messi on the all-time scoring list. Messi has played in 29 World Cup games in his career.
Deschamps bowed when his star came to the bench after he was substituted in the 85th minute.
"We're on a mission -- so am I with them," Deschamps said through a translator.
Olise also provided an assist on Barcola's goal to move onto five assists for the tournament, the most by a single player at a men's World Cup since Thomas Hässler for Germany in 1994.
Seeking to reach their third straight World Cup final, France play Paraguay on July 4 in Philadelphia, and the winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
On a brutally hot afternoon at MetLife Stadium, site of the World Cup final in July 19, France outshot Sweden 25-7, including 15-3 in the first half. It was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), sunny and humid at the 5 p.m. kickoff with poor air quality. During the first-half hydration break, France defender Lucas Digne let himself be doused by a sprinkler.
Mbappé hit a post in the 32nd minute, raising both hands in disgust, and France nearly went ahead four minutes later on Olise's spectacular bicycle kick from just inside the penalty area, which also clanked off a post.
In the first World Cup meeting between the nations, Mbappé scored after goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström tipped Olise's shot just outside the post.
Olise played a short corner kick to Ousmane Dembélé, who passed to Mbappé near the byline. Mbappé took a crossover step to get around Viktor Gyökeres and from just outside the 6-yard box sent a diagonal shot inside the far post for his 61st international goal.
Gustaf Lagerbielke lost the ball ahead of France's second goal. Aurélien Tchouaméni passed to Olise, who nutmegged Lagerbielke, and Barcola took a centering touch and sent the ball past Zetterström's outstretched right hand.
Mbappé entertained the crowd with a backheel pass to Barcola in the buildup to France's third goal. Barcola passed to Olise, who passed to Mbappé as the star sprinted into the penalty area. He steadied the ball with a touch and fired the ball inside the far post.
A crowd of 80,663 raised the record total for the expanded 104-match tournament above 5 million. A majority of fans wore France's blue, with a pocket in Sweden's yellow at one end.
"If we look at where we were not so long ago -- we're here and we've played in the World Cup," Sweden defender Victor Lindelöf said. “We lost against one of the best countries in the world.”
Mbappé wasn't quite ready to turn his attention to Paraguay just yet.
"I'm looking forward to the changing room and the AC," he said.
Source: Associated Press
– Agencies
