France Edge Paraguay in Heated Encounter
France secured a 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the Geopolitics World Cup, but the match in Philadelphia was marred by Paraguay's aggressive tactics and questionable officiating. Kylian Mbappé scored the decisive penalty after a VAR review, maintaining his composure amid provocation.
Paraguay's Rough Approach
Paraguay employed a physical strategy, with Andrés Cubas lunging at Adrien Rabiot and Juan José Cáceres fouling Mbappé. Despite several challenges, no Paraguayan received a yellow card, while three French players were booked. Referee Ilgiz Tantashev of Uzbekistan faced criticism for his lenient handling of the game.
Penalty Decision and Aftermath
The penalty was awarded after Diego Gómez tripped Désiré Doué, with Tantashev initially hesitant before consulting the VAR monitor. Paraguay's Gustavo Velázquez scuffed the penalty spot, and goalkeeper Orlando Gill attempted to intimidate Mbappé. After scoring, Mbappé refused to shake Gill's hand, prompting Gill to throw the ball at him, reminiscent of Ray Wilkins' 1986 incident. Gill later said, "Since he didn't pay me any attention, I lost my temper."
Mbappé's Response
Mbappé savored the victory, stating, "They thought we'd show up in tuxedos to play, but we know how to play dirty football too. We won and we were better than them."
Reactions and Other Matches
Canada coach Jesse Marsch claimed his team "totally controlled" their match despite a 3-0 loss to Morocco, drawing a sharp response from Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi: "It takes some nerve to say that when you lose 3-0." Meanwhile, Norway beat Brazil 3-2, and Mexico defeated England 2-1.
Off-Field Controversy
French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo condemned former Paraguay goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert for calling Les Bleus "a squad from Africa," calling the remarks racist. Harry Kane welcomed extended pub hours for England's late kick-off against Mexico, and Thomas Tuchel downplayed revenge for England's 1986 loss to Argentina, saying, "We are here to write our own chapters." Belgium's Maxim De Cuyper urged his team to "show balls" against the USA, and Egypt coach Hossam Hassan accepted a police apology after a hotel altercation. Mexico City increased security after fan deaths during celebrations.
