Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – 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 Norway and Mexico both won their opening knockout round games. Mbappe took his tally for the tournament to six goals — making him joint top-scorer alongside Lionel Messi — with a superb double as France strolled past the Swedes 3-0 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The prolific French striker’s latest brace took his career World Cup goals record to an incredible 18 in 18 matches, one behind Argentina superstar Messi’s all-time record of 19 goals.
Bradley Barcola scored France’s other goal as Les Bleus produced another dazzling exhibition of attacking football that underscored their status as favourites for the title. After France were held at bay for most of the opening 45 minutes, Mbappe finally broke the Scandinavians’ resistance on the stroke of halftime, jinking into space before rifling 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 duel with Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday. “I know who I am and what I’ve got to do, but it’s not just me, I think the team is perfectly aware of what we have to do here,” Mbappe told beIN Sports.
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Earlier Tuesday, in-form Manchester City striker Haaland fired Norway to their first ever World Cup knockout win in a 2-1 defeat of Ivory Coast at 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 equalised for the Africans following Antonio Nusa’s opener for Norway. The Norwegians — beaten in both of their previous opening knockout round appearances in 1938 and 1998 — will face Brazil in the last 16 on Sunday with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs. Haaland will head into that meeting 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 equaliser, but his curling free-kick destined for the top corner was saved by Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. Norway coach Stale Solbakken saluted 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 little country like Norway…I wouldn’t swap him for anyone,” Solbakken said. “Because he’s the greatest goalscorer in the world of football today.”
In the late game on Tuesday, co-hosts Mexico maintained their proud record of never having lost a World Cup match at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca with a 2-0 win over Ecuador. After torrential rain and lightning delayed kick-off by an hour, Mexico tore into Ecuador and were soon two goals to the good. Julian Quinones lashed in a spectacular opener to put ‘El Tri’ 1-0 up after 22 minutes, and Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez made it 2-0 with a fine strike in the 31st minute. Ecuador rarely looked like clawing their way back into the contest. Mexico’s victory means they will return to the Azteca for Sunday’s last 16, where they will face either DR Congo or England, who meet in the last 32 in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Coach Javier Aguirre said the Mexican team was a “true family.” “I can tell you that this team deserves what is happening,” he said. “This big connection with the fans and playing the World Cup. Today we stand within the top-16 rank and we have been together for a long time and we still like each other. We are very happy. We are highly focused and we are a true family.”
Off the field on Tuesday, Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman announced he was stepping down, a day after his team’s agonising penalty shoot-out loss to Morocco in the last 16. “We all shared the dream of making history at this World Cup, but we fell short. No one is more disappointed by that than I am,” Koeman said. “As head coach, the responsibility ultimately rests with me.”
© 2024 AFP
