Kylian Mbappe delivers another brace as France routs Sweden
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ: Kylian Mbappe scored his 17th and 18th career World Cup goals to keep chasing Lionel Messi and tournament history in France’s 3-0 victory over Sweden in Tuesday’s round of 32 clash. Mbappe is now one behind Messi on the all-time tournament list, and with his fifth and sixth goals of this year’s tournament has pulled even with the 39-year-old in the Golden Boot chase. Messi and Argentina face Cape Verde on Friday in Miami Gardens, Florida, in their round of 32 meeting. Bradley Barcola added his second of the tournament after halftime as the two- time World Cup champions continued their dominant form, having won all four of their tournament matches by a combined 13-2 margin. Michael Olize had two assists in Tuesday’s victory, which marked the tournament’s first round of 32 match (out of six played) decided by more than one goal. Manager Didier Deschamps’ side will next play on Saturday in Philadelphia against Paraguay, who shocked four-time champions Germany on penalties following a 1-1 draw on Monday in Foxborough, Mass. Sweden are eliminated following one of the more turbulent World Cup stays in recent memory, defeating Tunisia 5-1 and then losing to the Netherlands by the same score before drawing their group finale 1-1 against Japan to reach the knockout phase. It was their first time advancing from a group in a major tournament since the 2020 European Championships (played in 2021).
