France Beat Paraguay to Reach Quarter-Finals; England Face Mexico Next
France Beat Paraguay; England Face Mexico Next

France Edge Past Paraguay in Tense Encounter

France secured a place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over a resilient Paraguay side. The match, covered on the latest episode of Football Weekly, saw Kylian Mbappé convert a penalty to break the deadlock. Despite Paraguay's physical approach, they remarkably did not receive a single yellow card until after the final whistle, a testament to their tactical fouling.

Paraguay's Dark Arts and Missed Opportunities

Max Rushden, joined by Barry Glendenning, Archie Rhind-Tutt, Barney Ronay, and Philippe Auclair, described Paraguay's performance as a masterclass in the dark arts. The South American side frustrated France throughout, but ultimately lacked the cutting edge to equalize. France will now face Morocco in the quarter-finals, who earlier defeated Canada 3-0.

Morocco Cruise Past Canada; Scoreline Flatters

Morocco's 3-0 win over Canada was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests. Jesse Marsch's Canada side started brightly and created early chances, but failed to convert. Morocco's clinical finishing proved decisive as they progressed to the last eight.

Wide Pickt banner — collaborative shopping lists app for Telegram, phone mockup with grocery list

England vs Mexico Preview and Miami Tales

The podcast also previewed the upcoming match between Mexico and England, with Barney Ronay sharing tales from Miami. The panel answered listener questions and looked ahead to the next round of fixtures.

Listeners are encouraged to rate, review, and share the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and join the conversation via email. The Guardian's Football Weekly is available on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Pickt after-article banner — collaborative shopping lists app with family illustration