France secured a place in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Paraguay in a tense last-16 match played in sweltering Philadelphia conditions.

Didier Deschamps’ side-controlled possession from the start but struggled to break down Paraguay’s disciplined defence, which frustrated France for much of the match. Although Ousmane Dembélé and Adrien Rabiot created the better chances, Les Bleus reached halftime without scoring as Paraguay’s compact back line and goalkeeper Orlando Gill held firm.

The breakthrough came in the 70th minute when substitute Désiré Doué was fouled in the penalty area. Captain Kylian Mbappé calmly converted the spot-kick, sending Gill the wrong way to score the match’s only goal and his seventh of the tournament.

Paraguay threw numbers forward in the closing stages, but France’s defence remained composed, with Mike Maignan producing a crucial late save to preserve the clean sheet. Although far from their most fluent display, France showed patience and resilience to overcome stubborn opposition.

Paraguay exit with credit, their defensive resilience earning admiration despite falling just short.

The win sends Les Bleus into the quarterfinals, where they will face Morocco in one of the tournament’s most anticipated ties.