- Mbappe takes the World Cup to 18 in just 18 games.
- Barcola also scores as France beat Sweden 3-0.
- Haaland scores the late winner as Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1.
Kylian Mbappe extended his red-hot scoring streak to fire France past Sweden and into the last 16 of the World Cup on Tuesday as Erling Haaland sealed Norway’s first ever knockout win in a 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast.
Mbappe took his tournament record to six goals – making him joint top scorer with Lionel Messi – with a superb double as France strolled past the Swedes 3-0 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The prolific French forward’s latest brace took his career World Cup goalscoring record to an incredible 18 in 18 games, one behind Argentine superstar Messi’s record of 19 goals.
Bradley Barcola scored France’s second goal as Les Bleus produced another dazzling display of attacking football that underlined their status as title favourites.
Sweden manager Graham Potter had warned beforehand that his side would need to produce the game of their lives to have any chance of containing France’s multi-pronged attacking arsenal.
But after France had been held at bay for most of the first 45 minutes, Mbappe finally broke the Scandinavians’ resistance momentarily on the stroke of half-time, darting into space before volleying home.
Barcola made it 2-0 on 53 minutes before Mbappe added a second in the 74th minute to seal a victory that sends France into a last-16 clash with 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 fully aware of what we have to do here,” Mbappe told the French broadcaster. beIN Sport.
Haaland saves Norway
Earlier on Tuesday, in-form Manchester City striker Haaland fired Noway to their first ever World Cup knockout win in a 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Haaland swept in an 86th-minute winner to slam the door on Ivory Coast’s hopes of a fightback after Amad Diallo had equalized for the Africans following Antonio Nusa’s opener for Norway.
The Norwegians – beaten in both of their previous knockout appearances in 1938 and 1998 – will face Brazil in the round of 16 on Sunday with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs.
Haaland will go into the encounter brimming with confidence after taking his tally for the tournament to five goals, one behind joint top scorers Messi and Mbappe.
Ivory Coast’s Diallo came within a whisker of grabbing an injury-time equalizer but his curling free-kick, destined for the top corner, was saved by Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.
The win was a vindication for Norway coach Stale Solbakken, who had faced sharp criticism after benching Haaland and fielding a second-tier side in their final group game, a 4-1 thrashing of France, last week.
Solbakken hailed Haaland as the “greatest goalscorer in the world” after Norway’s win.
“To score five goals in the World Cup in three games for a small country like Norway… I wouldn’t trade him for anyone,” Solbakken said.
“Because he is the greatest goalscorer in the world of football today.”
