France advanced in the World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after defeating Sweden. The match saw Kylian Mbappe open the scoring, followed by a goal from Bradley Barcola, securing a 2-0 lead for the French side. This victory positions France, considered tournament favourites, to progress further in the competition.
The French team, managed by Didier Deschamps, entered the game following comfortable wins against Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. Key players like Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele have been prominent throughout their campaign. Despite defender William Saliba being rested in the previous match against Norway due to a back issue, he was expected to return for this crucial encounter.
First Half Dominance
The first half saw France gradually assert their dominance. Early in the match, Mbappe had a goal disallowed for a narrow offside, and later hit the post, indicating France’s persistent attacking threat. Sweden, under manager Graham Potter, managed to hold off the French for a significant period, with goalkeeper Zetterstrom making saves, including one from a curling effort by Mbappe.
Michael Olise was particularly active, with one extraordinary scissor kick from 12 yards hitting the post. Dembele’s follow-up shot then flew wide. Olise also initiated a move with a flick that ended with his effort being palmed wide, highlighting France’s continuous pressure on the Swedish defence.
The breakthrough came in the 45th minute when Mbappe scored, putting France ahead 1-0. The goal, his 17th in the World Cup, moved him into second place in the all-time rankings, behind Lionel Messi. Mbappe celebrated this significant goal with Deschamps, a touching moment given the manager’s recent personal difficulties.
Sweden had their moments in the first half, including a chance for Isak, whose shot was charged down and saved by Maignan. Another opportunity saw Isak attempt to flick a finish past Maignan, but it went off target. Despite these attempts, France maintained their lead into half-time.
Second Half Performance
The second half began with France continuing their offensive. Just four minutes after the restart, Tchouameni fired a strike over the bar. However, France soon extended their lead in the 53rd minute when Barcola scored, making it 2-0. Olise provided a deft pass to Barcola, who finished with a shot into the corner, further solidifying France’s control of the match.
Deschamps’ decision to bring Barcola into the lineup for Desire Doue proved effective, with Barcola’s goal being described as brilliant. This depth in the squad appears to be a significant advantage for France. The goal also came after Tchouameni collected a loose ball and passed to Olise, who then nutmegged Lagerbielke to set up Barcola.
Sweden attempted to respond, winning a corner in the 56th minute, but the cross to Bergvall was not met cleanly. They also had an immediate equaliser threatened after the first goal, but the finish flew off target following a moment of panic in the French box. Viktor Gyokeres sustained a blow to his face from Dayot Upamecano during the match, though play was allowed to continue.
With this victory, France is set to face the winners of the Paraguay versus Germany match. Paraguay had previously eliminated Germany on penalties, setting up a challenging next round for France. Sweden, despite their opening 5-1 win over Tunisia and a draw with Japan, had also experienced a 5-1 loss to the Netherlands earlier in the tournament.
The match concluded with France holding a 2-0 lead over Sweden.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
