Paraguay 0-1 France live updates: Mbappe’s penalty sends Les Bleus to the quarterfinals

Gill is having a great tournament and he makes two great saves.

First to deny Mbappe’s shot through a crowd.

Then Mbappe looks certain to score on the rebound but Gill makes another big stop.

Wow.

The superstar drives forward and curls a beauty towards the far corner but Gill gets a strong hand on it and pushes the ball wide.

Mbappe and France have struggled to create many chances today but they have dominated the ball and come up against a really stubborn Paraguay side.

The heat has obviously had a big impact too.

Kylian Mbappe slots home and sends the France fans wild.

That is his seventh of this tournament (level with Messi) and his 19th in World Cup history, as he’s one behind Lionel Messi in the all-time scoring charts now.

Mbappe celebrates wildly and France’s fans are extremely relieved in the stands.

Paraguay now have to go for it with 20 minutes to go.

France will surely see this out.

Desire Doue dances into the box and Diego Gomez catches him.

He goes down after getting clipped.

The referee gave nothing initially but he goes to the monitor and decides it is a penalty kick.

France have the chance to go 1-0 up...

Mike Maignan pings the ball over the top and Kylian Mbappe is clean through.

The ball pops up and hits him on his arm and Paraguay clear.

Ousmane Dembele is then played in but his shot from a tight angle is wide.

He clatters Gill as he goes in and the Paraguay goalkeeper is receiving plenty of treatment.

France missed a couple of big chances there.

At one end Rabiot pings a shot over for France as they are limited once again to a pop from distance.

Paraguay then win a corner as Almiron surges down the right.

The corner is punched away nervously by Maignan and Paraguay keep the attack alive with a long throw which Maignan claims well.

0-0 at half time and there has been very little in the way of chances at either end.

France has 0.15 xG at half time, with Paraguay on 0.05 xG.

The French have had a couple of looks but Paraguay have limited them to very little.

Paraguay have had a couple of counter attacks and will be delighted it is still 0-0.

They look like they have plenty of energy left in the tank and are loving snapping into tackles and rattling France.

France do not look like they are having fun. At all.

Big team talk coming up for Didier Deschamps, and he has plenty of options on the bench with Doue and Cherki.

Paraguay have hung in there really well and now they’re starting to cause France a few problems.

First Enciso has raced cleared but the pass to him isn’t the right weight and is intercepted.

Then he charges down the left for 70 yards but France defend well to win a corner.

Still, those kind of counters take the pressure off the Paraguayan defense and they have played exactly the game they wanted to.

It has been spicy and lively. France have been disrupted.

Chants of “Allez Les Bleus!” go up from the French fans here as they come close.

Kone gets free on the edge of the box and his shot is probably going on target, but it deflects off a Paraguay defender and goes out for a corner.

It comes to nothing and that is the story of the game so far.

At the first hydration break, which is very much needed today, Paraguay have held firm and haven’t been troubled that much.

Kylian Mbappe and Co. haven’t got going in the intense heat and humidity

An even start to the game with France having more of the ball, as expected, but Paraguay are snapping into tackles all over the pitch. No big chances yet.

Pretty even, overall, but you have to think that is mostly because of the conditions. It is brutal out there.

Fans in the stand are constantly fanning themselves with pieces of paper handed out so there’s just constantly flashing of white paper when you look off the pitch.

I bet the players wished they had some kind of fan they could use out there...

A huge flag, fighter jets flying over, red and white smoke flying into the air, the U.S. national anthem and other songs played.

That was quite something. The hairs stood up on the back of your neck.

What a moment. Great memories for all here.

People have certainly made the effort to support their team, and America, today.

Didier Deschamps makes just one chance to the lineup as Kouadio Kone starts over Aurelien Tchouameni in central midfield.

The incredible attacking quartet of Dembele, Olise, Barcola and Mbappe start again.

That news will strike fear into any team at this World Cup.

France starting lineup

Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe

This is an ultra defensive lineup from Paraguay, as expected, but the big news is that star attacker Julio Enciso is fit to start.

That is huge for them.

He starts in attack with Miguel Almiron supporting him and that will allow Paraguay to be dangerous on the counter.

Paraguay starting lineup

Gill; Caceres, Velazquez, G. Gomez, Alderete, Alonso; D. Gomez, Cubas, Galarza; Almiron, Enciso

There is obviously a huge game going on here on the pitch in Philly, but off it there are massive celebrations for the 250th anniversary of July Fourth.

These friends from Boston are absolutely buzzing to be here and have dressed for the occasion.

Philadelphia is at the heart of America’s 250th birthday celebrations this weekend and on top of that this last 16 game is adding even more excitement.

The scene around Philly for the last few days has been wonderful with celebration the main word to sum it all up.

Philly’s final World Cup game is today and they want more of this in the future.

Here’s what it was like at the Lion Sports Bar watching games with locals in Philly. They’re loving the World Cup.

Here’s how to watch all of the action from Philly with a quarterfinal spot on the line.

How to watch Paraguay vs France live, stream link and start time

Kick off time: 5pm ET Saturday (July 4)
Venue: Lincoln Financial Field - Philadelphia
TV Channel: Telemundo
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock, en Espanol

France have been in sensational form at this World Cup and they are just going for it.

It’s a joy to watch.

Mbappe, Olise, Dembele and either Barcola or Doue, in attack is the best forward line in the world.

Didier Deschamps has vowed to keep on going for it and even though France haven’t looked great at the back, they’re going to score three goals every game.

Paraguay pulled off a huge upset to beat Germany in Round of 32.

And they have full confidence they can do it again.

There’s a real tenacity and physicality about Paraguay and they embrace it.

Almiron and Galarza will provide energy from midfield and their solid defensive unit will bend byt somehow stays so organized.

Paraguay know they have nothing to lose and they are loving it.