France cruised into the World Cup Round of 16 with a commanding 3-0 win over Sweden in the Round of 32 match held in New Jersey. The French side controlled the tempo from the opening minutes, with Sweden struggling to cope with their pace and movement.
Captain Kylian Mbappe broke the deadlock at the end of the first half, scoring in the 45th minute after cutting through Sweden’s defensive line. France went into the break with a 1-0 advantage.
France continued to press after halftime and doubled the lead in the 53rd minute. Michael Olise set up young forward Bradley Barcola, who finished calmly to put Sweden under further pressure.
Sweden’s attempts to respond were repeatedly contained by the French defence. Mbappe struck again in the 74th minute to seal the result, completing a brace as France wrapped up a comprehensive 3-0 victory.
France will meet Paraguay in the Round of 16. In the race for the Golden Boot, Lionel Messi and Mbappe are level on six goals each, with Norway’s Erling Haaland close behind on five.
