Kylian Mbappé struck twice and Michael Olise delivered a masterful display with two assists as France swept Sweden aside at MetLife Stadium to advance to the World Cup last-16. Bradley Barcola added a third goal in a commanding victory that reinforced Les Bleus’ status as tournament favourites.
Didier Deschamps’ side sealed their place in the next round at the New York-New Jersey venue, building upon a near-perfect group stage campaign that had seen them dispatch Senegal, Iraq and Norway while scoring ten goals.
France patience pays off
Sweden had approached the East Rutherford fixture with a clear gameplan, looking to threaten on the counter through Anthony Elanga’s pace and the physical presence of Viktor Gyökeres. Alexander Isak, who lines up for Liverpool, twice found space behind the French defence in the opening 25 minutes, but the close attentions of Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba ensured neither attempt reached Mike Maignan.
Les Bleus initially struggled to unpick the Swedish block, with Mbappé firing over from distance as frustration grew. The breakthrough arrived on 35 minutes following a short corner routine. Ousmane Dembélé and Olise exchanged passes before Dembélé slipped the ball to Mbappé inside the penalty area. The France captain shuffled past his marker and curled a precise finish beyond goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström.
Olise dictates proceedings
France doubled their advantage eight minutes into the second half. Aurelién Tchouaméni intercepted a Swedish pass and immediately found Olise, who threaded a weighted ball between the defenders for Barcola to stride through and smash into the roof of the net.
Olise’s influence grew as the match wore on, the midfielder dropping deep to link play and testing Zetterström with a long-range effort on the hour. With 15 minutes remaining, he claimed his second assist with another beautifully measured pass that sent Mbappé clear to curl his second goal into the far corner.
Sweden had been forced to reshuffle their defence after Isak Hien was ruled out with a hamstring injury, with Carl Starfelt drafted into the backline, yet they were unable to contain France’s fluid attack. Graham Potter’s side had progressed from their group despite the setback, but found the step up in class against Deschamps’ outfit too great to overcome.
The victory sends France into the last-16, where they will continue their pursuit of the trophy.