- Mbappe takes his World Cup tally to 18 from just 18 appearances.
- Barcola also scores as France beat Sweden 3-0.
- Haaland scores late winner as Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1.
Kylian Mbappe extended his hot streak of goals to propel France past Sweden and into the World Cup last 16 on Tuesday as Erling Haaland sealed Norway’s first ever round of 16 victory in a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast.
Mbappe took his tally for the tournament to six goals – making him joint top scorer alongside Lionel Messi – with a stunning brace as France beat the Swedes 3-0 at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
The prolific French striker’s latest brace took his career World Cup goals record to an incredible 18 in 18 matches, one behind Argentine superstar Messi’s all-time record of 19 goals.
Bradley Barcola scored France’s other goal as the Blues produced another dazzling display of attacking football that underlined their status as title favorites.
Swedish coach Graham Potter had warned beforehand that his team would have to produce the match of their lives to have any chance of containing France’s multifaceted offensive arsenal.
But after France had been held in check for most of the first 45 minutes, Mbappé finally broke the Scandinavians’ resistance just before half-time, throwing himself into space before heading home.
Barcola made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute before Mbappe added a second in the 74th minute to seal a victory that sends France into a last-16 showdown 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 perfectly aware of what we have to do here,” Mbappé told the French channel. beIN Sports.
Haaland saves Norway
Earlier on Tuesday, in-form Manchester City striker Haaland powered Noway to their first ever World Cup knockout victory in a 2-1 defeat against Ivory Coast at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Haaland scored an 86th-minute winner to slam the door on Ivory Coast’s hopes of a fightback after Amad Diallo equalized for the Africans following Antonio Nusa’s opener for Norway.
The Norwegians – beaten in their previous two knockout matches 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 head into this meeting full of confidence after taking his tally for the tournament to five goals, one behind joint top scorers Messi and Mbappe.
Ivorian Diallo almost equalized in injury time, but his curling free kick aimed at the top corner was saved by Norwegian goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.
The victory was vindication for Norwegian coach Stale Solbakken, who had faced heavy criticism after benching Haaland and fielding a second-tier team in their final group match, a 4-1 defeat to France, last week.
Solbakken hailed Haaland as the ‘best scorer in the world’ after Norway’s victory.
“To score five goals in the World Cup in three matches, for a small country like Norway… I wouldn’t trade it for anyone,” Solbakken said.
“Because today he is the greatest scorer in the world of football.”
