Mbappe scores 18th career World Cup goal as France defeats Sweden with 3 strikes
France 3-0 Sweden.
Kylian Mbappe scored two goals.
Bradley Barcola scored one goal.
Michael Olise recorded two assists.
In a Round of 32 that had seen a series of close matches, France demonstrated the strength of a tournament favorite.
They gave Sweden almost no time to hold the ball.
Even when they lost possession, they immediately pressed and recovered it.
Mbappe targeted the space behind the defensive line, and Olise delivered accurate passes to his movements.
France dominated the match both offensively and defensively.
Chapter 1: The Arrival of the Favorites
The Round of 32.
If you lose, the tournament is over.
The knockout stages up to this point had been filled with extra time and penalty shootouts.
However, France was different.
They held the ball from the start of the match.
They connected passes in midfield.
They spread the play to the left and right, shifting Sweden's defensive block.
Even when they lost the ball, multiple players pressed on the spot.
They did not give Sweden any time to launch a counterattack.
Chapter 2: Containing Gyokeres
The center of Sweden's attack is Viktor Gyokeres.
He is a striker who can hold the ball up front and head toward the goal himself.
Sweden tried to build their attack by playing vertical passes to Gyokeres.
However, the French center-backs closed him down.
They did not let him turn.
When the ball came in, one player challenged him while another picked up the loose ball.
They did not allow Gyokeres to become the focal point.
They did not let the ball reach the opponent's ace.
This was France's defense.
Chapter 3: A scoreless first half
France approached the Swedish goal many times.
Olise attempted an overhead kick.
Mbappe broke through behind the defensive line.
He found the back of the net once, but it was offside.
Furthermore, a shot in a decisive moment hit the post.
They dominated possession.
They pushed into the opponent's half.
They manage to carry the ball into a shooting position.
Even so, the goals just wouldn't come.
Sweden packed players in front of their goal, holding firm at the final line of defense.
Chapter 4: Opening goal from a short corner
45 minutes in.
It was as the end of the first half approached.
France earns a corner kick.
Olise and Ousmane Dembele opted for a short corner.
A short corner is a play where the ball is passed to a nearby teammate instead of crossing it directly in front of the goal.
It shifts the Swedish defense and creates passing lanes.
Olise plays a through ball.
Mbappe broke through behind the defensive line.
He is surrounded by multiple players.
Even so, he cuts inside toward the center with precise touches.
He slotted it into the far side with his right foot.
1-0.
A first half where they couldn't quite finish.
In the end, Mbappe broke the deadlock.
Chapter 5: France after taking the lead
Having scored the opening goal, France did not lower the intensity of their attack in the second half.
They were not looking to waste time by passing the ball around in their own half.
They pushed forward.
They forced Sweden's defensive line back.
Mbappe, Barcola, and Dembele took up wide positions, stretching the opponent's back line horizontally.
In the meantime, Olise received the ball in the center.
Sweden could not decide who they should close down.
France's attack accelerated even further.
Chapter 6: Olise breaks them down
53rd minute.
Olise turned to face forward in the center.
He moved into the space between Sweden's defensive line and their midfield.
Barcola made a run in behind.
Olise did not miss that movement.
He threaded a through ball between the defenders.
Barcola broke through and calmly slotted it into the goal.
2-0.
A through ball is a pass played between or behind opposing players.
The movement of the player receiving the ball.
The decision-making of the player passing the ball.
It cannot work unless the two are in sync.
Olise and Barcola tore through the Swedish defense in a straight line.
Chapter 7: Mbappe scores again
74th minute.
Once again, it started with Olise.
He held the ball in the center and checked Mbappe's movement.
He played a through ball behind the defensive line.
Mbappe broke through.
Watching the distance to the goalkeeper, he calmly slotted the shot home.
3-0.
Olise recorded two assists in this match.
That brings his total to five assists for the tournament.
If they only guard Mbappe, Olise plays the pass.
If they close down Olise, Mbappe runs in behind.
For France, even if you stop one player, there is always another.
Chapter 8: 18 goals in the tournament
With his two goals in this match, Mbappe reached a total of 18 career World Cup goals.
He has surpassed Miroslav Klose to become the second-highest scorer in history.
He is still in the middle of his career.
Even so, he has already etched his name into World Cup history.
Mbappe's strength is not just his speed.
He observes the positioning of the opposing defenders.
He changes the moment he starts his run.
In front of the goal, he stays relaxed and slots the ball into the open space.
He is fast.
He is skillful.
And he delivers when it matters most.
The reason his numbers keep climbing was packed into these two goals.
Chapter 9: A gap of more than 3-0
Match end.
France 3-0 Sweden.
The score was a three-goal difference.
However, the content of the game showed an even greater gap.
France dominated possession.
They did not allow Gyokeres to become a focal point.
They alternated between using the flanks and the center.
They made repeated runs behind the defensive line.
Even after scoring, they did not ease up on the attack and controlled the match.
A team called a title favorite is more than just its ace scoring goals.
Defense.
Positioning.
Substitutions.
Game management.
They have it all.
Chapter 10: Next is Paraguay
The opponent in the Round of 16 is Paraguay.
They are a strong defensive team that defeated Germany in a penalty shootout.
Paraguay packs players into the center to eliminate space.
They put their bodies on the line to clear crosses.
They do not let their defensive block be broken down easily.
What France needs is to move the opponent laterally, just as they did against Sweden.
Olise receives the ball in the center.
Mbappe makes a run behind the defense.
Dembele and Barcola attack from the flanks.
One of the world's best attacking lineups and South American solid defense.
The next match will be a completely different battle.
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