Kylian Mbappé converted a second half spot kick, awarded by VAR, to score his 19th World Cup finals goal (in 19 appearances!) and send France through to the quarterfinals for a third straight tournament. This sets up a rematch with Morocco, the side they beat at the semifinal stage in Qatar four years ago.

Didier Deschamps became the first manager in history to record 10 knockout stage wins at the World Cup but his side had to do it the hard way, as Paraguay came out to spoil France’s usual free-flowing game.

In blistering heat, with pitchside temperatures hitting 39°C, Gustavo Alvaro set up his team to contain France by any means necessary. And for the large part, it was a tactic that worked, with Les Bleus reduced to zero shots on target in the first half, having previously scored at least three goals in each of their last four games.

After Mbappé’s penalty - his seventh goal at these finals - had eventually broken the deadlock, France successfully negotiated an increasingly ugly affair as Paraguay’s desperation to break up play and find an equaliser threatened to spill over.

🇵🇾🇫🇷 On the whistle Paraguay-France match report

In sharp contrast to the refereeing in the other game of the day (see below), the leniency shown by Uzbek official Ilgiz Tantashev during the clash in Philadelphia has come under serious question.

Referees have clearly been instructed to let the game flow at this tournament but Paraguay’s adoption of the dark arts (and the not-so-dark but actually rather blatantly negative game-spoiling tactics) appeared to cross the line on numerous occasions.

Amazingly, the South American’s containment of France’s attacking threat through strong tackles, off-the-ball antics, and clear baiting of the opposition resulted in zero yellow cards inside 90 minutes. And even the obvious trip on Désiré Doué inside the area that led to Mbappé’s goal, was not initially awarded as a penalty until VAR forced the on-pitch referee to check the monitor.

France had the last laugh though, with Mbappé telling reporters “They thought we'd show up in tuxedos, but we were ready. Even at that game, we were better than them.

"That's their style of football. There's no right or wrong way to play the game. They tried to beat us that way, but we won.”

The Atlas Lions made further history on the world stage after their 3-0 win over Canada had earlier seen them become the first side through to the next round.

Morocco are now the first African nation to reach the last eight on more than one occasion, and they’ve done so in back-to-back tournaments, following on from their seminal run all the way to the semis in Qatar.

For the first 45 minutes in Houston, Canada stuck to coach Jesse Marsch’s game plan to the letter, albeit there were a World Cup record equalling six yellow cards dished out by Premier League referee Michael Oliver before half time - more cards than shots on goal(!), and the final card count of eight (all yellow) was the most of any match at these particular finals.

After half-time, Morocco turned it on, scoring with all three of their shots on target - Azzedine Ounahi bagging two, both with impressive first touch finishes, before Soufiane Rahimi put further gloss on the scoreline in stoppage time.

Coach Mohamed Ouahbi only took the Morocco job in March, but by backing up their recent success at the World Cup with this run to the quarterfinals, he has already proven his tactical acumen.

🇨🇦🗣️ Jesse Marsch believes Canada were the “better team.”

Before we move too far ahead, here’s a reminder of the FotMob Team of the Round for the last 32. For our best graphics, check out @fotmobapp on Instagram.

Sunday promises to be a special day at the World Cup as two more quarterfinals places are up for grabs.

First, five-time record winners Brazil take on Norway, the only side they’ve faced multiple times in their history without actually beating.

And then, at the formidable Azteca, Mexico face Thomas Tuchel’s England.

Up to this point, Carlo Ancelotti has received high praise for his ability to get the best out of a Brazil side considered by many as not up to the standard of previous generations.

Their response to a frustrating draw with Morocco in their group stage opener has seen the Seleção record back-to-back 3-0 wins and then overhaul Japan in a tactical masterclass thanks to Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage time winner.

Norway, though, will provide a different test, with the iconic Viking Row emblematic of a team and fanbase united in their quest to get beyond the Round of 16 for the first time, back at a tournament they have not featured in since 1998.

The last time they did, Norway beat Brazil in the group stages at France ‘98, and their all-time record against the South Americans reads P4, W2, D2, L0.

🇧🇷🇳🇴 Brazil-Norway match preview

The build up for The Three Lions’ trip to face co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City has been a complicated one - and seemingly through no fault of the competing teams -, with FIFA at one point threatening to bring forward the kick-off by six hours.

With that logistical nightmare now averted, the pre-match chatter reverts to the cold hard facts around the task facing Thomas Tuchel’s side.

Mexico are yet to concede a goal in their four wins at these finals, and at the Azteca, famously 2,200m above sea level, they are unbeaten in 10 World Cup matches - with the iconic stadium having hosted games at three separate finals (1970, 1986, and 2026).

England also have bad memories of the arena, having been knocked out of the ‘86 finals by Argentina in a quarterfinal famous for the five minute spell in which Diego Maradona scored both his Hand of God goal, and the ‘Goal of the Century’ that followed.

🇲🇽🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Mexico-England match preview

After Kylian Mbappé matched Lionel Messi for seven goals at this tournament, it’s now over to the chasing pack in the race for the Golden Boot. Erling Haaland, Harry Kane (both on five goals), and Vinícius Júnior (four) should all feature for their respective sides on Sunday.

Haaland, never one to shy away from a goalscoring feat, has the opportunity to match Just Fontaine’s record of scoring in each of his first four World Cup appearances (six other Europeans have also achieved this). The Frenchman went on to score 13 goals at the 1958 finals - a standard that has never looked likely to be beaten…until this year.

For Kane, already England’s all-time top scorer, it’s a chance to extend his new record of 13 World Cup goals for his country.