06/30/26 07:56:00
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06/30 19:55 CDT Mbapp scores twice to tie Messi for World Cup lead with 6
goals, France beats Sweden 3-0
Mbapp scores twice to tie Messi for World Cup lead with 6 goals, France beats
Sweden 3-0
By RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) --- Kylian Mbapp and France are sizzling --- and
not just because of MetLife Stadium's broiling conditions.
Mbapp had his third two-goal game of this World Cup and set a career scoring
record for the tournament's knockout rounds, leading Les Bleus over Sweden 3-0
on Tuesday to set up a round of 16 match against Paraguay.
"I personally haven't seen a better team," Sweden coach Graham Potter said.
France's 27-year-old star scored the go-ahead goal with a brilliant crossover
step in the 45th minute and added his sixth goal of the tournament in the 74th
to tie Lionel Messi for the tournament scoring lead. He has 18 goals in 18
World Cup games, one behind the Argentine's career scoring record of 19 in 29
matches.
In between, Bradley Barcola had a 53rd-minute goal for France, which became the
first nation to score three or more goals in five consecutive World Cup matches.
"I'm very aware of who I am, how I play, what I shall do, but it's not just
about me," Mbapp said through a translator. "The entire team is aware of what
should be done. It is a new competition that has started today. We did play
well, but we were timid. We could have done better at the beginning."
Mbapp's 10 knockout round goals are two more than the previous high by
Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo.
France coach Didier Deschamps bowed when Mbapp came to the bench after he was
substituted in the 85th minute.
"We're on a mission --- so am I with them," Deschamps said through a translator.
France has outscored opponents 13-2. Michael Olise has five assists, the most
in a World Cup since Germany's Thomas Hassler had five in 1994.
"They are skilled at knowing when to change the pace and increase it, when to
possess the ball, went to fall back," Sweden captain Victor Lindelf said
through a translator.
Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on
July 4 in Philadelphia. The winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or
Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
It was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), sunny and humid at the 5
p.m. kickoff with poor air quality at the site of the July 19 final. Many fans
in the club areas stayed inside their air-conditioned suites.
France outshot Sweden 25-7 in the first World Cup meeting between the nations,
including 15-3 in the first half.
Mbapp hit a post in the 32nd minute, raising both hands in disgust, and France
nearly went ahead four minutes later on Olise's spectacular bicycle kick from
just inside the penalty area, which also clanked off a post.
"I said I think we needed a couple of miracles. We had a couple, but we ran out
of them," Potter said. "So we needed a few more."
Mbapp scored after goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrm tipped Olise's shot
just outside the post.
Olise played a short corner kick to Ousmane Dembl, who passed to Mbapp near
the byline. Mbapp took a crossover step to get around Viktor Gykeres and from
just outside the 6-yard box sent a diagonal shot inside the far post.
Mbapp ran up the center of the field to celebrate, colliding with Dembl, and
jogged to the bench to hug Deschamps, who returned for the match after going to
France for his mother's funeral.
"He knows that he will never be alone with us, and we will support him," Mbapp
said.
Gustaf Lagerbielke lost the ball ahead of France's second goal. Aurlien
Tchouamni passed to Olise, who nutmegged Lagerbielke, and Barcola took a
centering touch and sent the ball past Zetterstrm's outstretched right hand.
Mbapp entertained the crowd with a backheel pass to Barcola in the buildup to
France's third goal, the 62nd of his international career. Barcola passed to
Olise, who sent the ball forward as Mbapp sprinted into the penalty area, took
a touch and fired the ball inside the far post.
"We continue to deliver great performances," Mbapp said.
A crowd of 80,663 raised the record total for the expanded 104-match tournament
above 5 million. A majority of fans wore France's blue, with a pocket in
Sweden's yellow at one end.
"I have no complaints to the players whatsoever. I said to them after the game
I don't think it's a disgrace to lose to France," Potter said. "For us it's
about using this as a foundation to go forward and to be proud of what we've
done so far."
Speaking just after the final whistle, Mbapp wasn't quite ready to turn his
attention to Paraguay just yet.
"I'm looking forward to the changing room and the AC," he said.
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AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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See more of AP's World Cup coverage here
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