- Mbappé brings his World Cup total to 18 in just 18 appearances.
- Barcola also scored and France beat Sweden 3-0.
- Haaland scores the late goal as Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1.
Kylian Mbappe extended his scoring streak to lead France past Sweden and into the last 16 of the World Cup on Tuesday as Erling Haaland sealed Norway’s first victory in the knockout round by beating Ivory Coast 2-1.
Mbappe took his tournament tally to six goals, making him joint joint top scorer with Lionel Messi, with a superb brace as France beat the Swedes 3-0 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The prolific French striker’s latest brace raised his career World Cup goals record to an incredible 18 in 18 games, one behind Argentine superstar Messi’s all-time record of 19 goals.
Bradley Barcola scored France’s other goal as Les Bleus produced another dazzling display of attacking football that underlined their status as title favourites.
Sweden coach Graham Potter had warned in advance that his team would have to play the game of their lives to have a chance of containing France’s offensive arsenal.
But after France was held at bay for most of the first 45 minutes, Mbappe finally broke the Scandinavians’ resistance on the stroke of half-time, leaping into space before scoring.
Barcola made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute before Mbappe added a second in the 74th minute to seal a victory that sends France into a round of 16 clash against Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday.
“I know who I am and what I have to do, but it’s not just me, I think the team is perfectly aware of what we have to do here,” Mbappé told the French broadcaster. be in sports.
Haaland rescues Norway
Earlier on Tuesday, in-form Manchester City striker Haaland led Noway to their first World Cup knockout victory in a 2-1 defeat over Ivory Coast at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Haaland scored the winner in the 86th minute to slam the door on Ivory Coast’s hopes of a comeback after Amad Diallo equalized for the Africans following Antonio Nusa’s first goal for Norway.
The Norwegians, defeated in their two previous appearances in the first knockout round in 1938 and 1998, will face Brazil in the round of 16 on Sunday with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
Haaland will go into that match full of confidence after taking his tally in the tournament to five goals, one behind top scorers Messi and Mbappé.
Ivory Coast’s Diallo almost equalized in stoppage time, but his curling free kick destined for the top corner was saved by Norwegian goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.
The victory was vindication for Norwegian coach Stale Solbakken, who had faced harsh criticism after benching Haaland and fielding a second-string team in their final group game, a 4-1 rout of France, last week.
Solbakken hailed Haaland as the “greatest goalscorer in the world” after Norway’s victory.
“Scoring five goals in the World Cup in three games, for a small country like Norway… I wouldn’t change it for anyone,” Solbakken said.
“Because he is the top scorer in the world of football today.”
