France delivered a commanding performance against Sweden in the World Cup round of 32, securing a decisive 3-0 victory. The match, held in East Rutherford, saw Kylian Mbappé net two goals, with Bradley Barcola adding another, ensuring France’s progression in the tournament.
The encounter began with Sweden demonstrating a competitive spirit and a clear game plan, particularly in their counter-attacking efforts. Players like Anthony Elanga and Viktor Gyökeres aimed to link up with Alexander Isak, who had two early shots on goal within the first 25 minutes. However, the defensive efforts of Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba prevented these attempts from troubling France’s goalkeeper, Mike Maignan.
Despite Sweden’s compact and brave defending, France gradually found their rhythm. After a period where their intricate approach play struggled to break down the Swedish defence, and Mbappé resorted to long-range efforts, France intensified their attack. A forceful drive from Adrian Rabiot, which was just turned around the post by Sweden’s goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström, seemed to ignite the French offensive.
Following this, France created a series of opportunities. Mbappé had a shot go over and another hit the post from close range. Michael Olise, who would later be instrumental, attempted a scissor kick that also struck Zetterström’s right post, with Ousmane Dembelé‘s follow-up going over the bar. Olise then had another shot from distance saved by Zetterström, leading to a corner.
The breakthrough came in the 35th minute from this corner. Dembelé played a short corner to Olise, who returned the pass. Dembelé then quickly moved the ball to Mbappé inside the box on the right side. Despite a challenging angle and multiple defenders, Mbappé skillfully bent a shot past Zetterström, giving France the lead just before half-time.
Sweden still managed to threaten before the break, with Elanga reaching the byline and delivering a pass. However, Jules Koundé intercepted the ball before Gyökeres could connect, and Elliot Stroud‘s subsequent shot went over the bar.
France extended their lead eight minutes into the second half. After Sweden lost possession following a period of French passing, Aurélien Tchouaméni quickly passed to Olise. Olise then delivered a perfectly weighted pass between a Swedish centre-half and full-back, allowing Barcola to stride into the box and powerfully strike the ball into the net.
Olise continued to be a central figure in France’s attacking play throughout the second half. He moved across the forward line, dropped deep, and made runs, consistently seeking the ball to control it and create danger. Around the hour mark, he had another long-range effort that required a sprawling save from Zetterström. His mesmerising passing triangle with Rabiot and Koundé on the halfway line also showcased France’s technical prowess.
With approximately 15 minutes remaining, Olise secured his second assist of the match, setting up Mbappé for his second goal. This involved another precise pass from Olise and a well-timed run from Mbappé, who finished by curling the ball into the far side of the goal, sealing France’s 3-0 victory.
The result meant the elimination of Alexander Isak’s Sweden from the tournament. The Liverpool striker played for 89 minutes of the match held in New Jersey. France will now advance to face Paraguay in the last 16.
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Source: theguardian.com
Dominic Hayes is the Sports News Writer at NewsGB, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with five years of reporting experience. He started on a north-east sports desk. He holds a degree in Journalism from Teesside University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Middlesbrough, he follows pro golf and amateur boxing. “Fast and accurate is the only standard worth keeping.”
