Rayan Cherki made yet another cameo appearance in the final exchanges of a France match at the World Cup, this time reaching the quarter-final against Morocco.
Tournament favourites France secured their ticket to the World Cup quarter-finals, but were pushed to the limit by a highly disciplined Paraguay side in the scorching 38°C heat of Philadelphia.
Didier Deschamps’ men dominated early possession but struggled to penetrate a stubborn South American low block, with frustration peaking in the first half when Kylian Mbappé lashed out following a heavy Andrés Cubas tackle.
A cagey, physical opening 45 minutes concluded without a single shot on target from either side, as Gustavo Alfaro’s resilient squad looked fully prepared to orchestrate another giant-killing act following their dramatic penalty shootout upset against Germany in the previous round.
The tactical complexion of the tie shifted entirely in the second half following the introduction of Paris Saint-Germain starlet Désiré Doué. The 21-year-old injected immediate verticality on the left wing, slicing into the penalty area before being brought down by Brighton midfielder Diego Gómez.
Following a brief VAR review, referee Ilgiz Tantashev pointed to the penalty spot, allowing Mbappé to step up and coolly send goalkeeper Orlando Gill the wrong way.
The clinical 73rd-minute strike marked Mbappé’s seventh goal of the tournament, pulling him level with Lionel Messi in a captivating Golden Boot race and successfully steering Les Bleus through a grueling afternoon into the final eight.
Rayan Cherki match statistics vs Paraguay
16 Minutes8 Touches5 Accurate Passes100% Pass Accuracy1 Interception1 Accurate Long Balls
Data courtesy of FotMob.
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