Match Summary · France · World Cup · Football · International · World Cup · Paraguay · France · Diego Gomez · Kylian Mbappe · Omar Alderete
| Metric | Paraguay | France |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 24% | 76% |
| Shots | 5 | 15 |
| Shots on target | 1 | 5 |
| Shots off target | 2 | 6 |
| Corners | 2 | 12 |
| Fouls | 12 | 11 |
| Yellow cards | 0 | 3 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 0 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper saves | 3 | 1 |
The highlights came late and fast. After a 0-0 first half, VAR awarded France a penalty on 67', and Mbappe converted on 69' to break Paraguay’s resistance. France’s control showed up across the stats, finishing with 76% possession, 551 passes, and sustained set-piece pressure, winning 11 corners to Paraguay’s 2.
Wilson’s frustration reflected the mood around a physical contest, and Stephen Warnock went further, saying: "There is playing fair and tough, but this is playing tough and unfair. Paraguay are trying to injure players and that is unacceptable." France also had to manage their own discipline, with bookings for Barcola (18'), Manu Kone (80'), and Olise (90').
Didier Deschamps set France up in a 4-2-3-1, while Gustavo Alfaro’s Paraguay started in a 5-4-1 and made second-half changes in search of an equaliser. Next, France face France vs Morocco, with this summary offering a simple message: one spot-kick, one score, and no way back.
Our pre-match analysis called this one correctly. These picks were backed before kick-off and landed after the final result.
1X2: Away @1.21
Pre-match pick: The discussion identifies a strong France XI and