By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
…Confirmed meeting with Morocco on July 9.
LES BLEUES of France in the early morning of Sunday Nigerian time made an encore defeat of her European adversary Paraguay by a lone penalty goal to advance to the quarterfinals of the competition.
Diego Gomez of Paraguay had knocked down Desire Doue in the box in the 65th minute an obvious penalty approved by VAR and after Doue injury had been attended to Kylian Mbappe stepped forward to score with the right foot in the 70th minute his 7th goal the highest individual goal of the tournament with Lionel Messi of Argentina.
The 2026 match was an encore (repeat) of their 1998 world cup same round of 16 clash at Lens before a crowd of31,800 when Blanc scored at 114th minute.
That was the year Denmark finished Nigeria in the round of 16 by 4-1 when Tijani Babangida scored for Nigeria and France lifted the trophy beating Brazil 3-0 in the final.
In 2026 at the Lincoln Financial Field, Philadephia before Ref Llgiz Tantashev of Uzbekistan and 68,324 crowd the victory of 1998 was scientifically verified.
Both teams have met five times since 1958 with France winning three games and drawing two scoring 14 of the 16 goals scored.
At the 1958 world cup played on 8th June France won 7-3; won by a lone goal at France 98 on 28th June; drew goalless in a friendly of 31st August 2008; drew 1-1 in a friendly of 1st June 2014 and beat Paraguay 5-0 in a friendly of 2nd June 2017.
France will play the Atlas Lions of Morocco in the 2026WorldCup quarterfinals on Thursday 9th July at Boston Stadium, Foxborough.
Today at 9.00pm, Brazil will Face Norway. Tomorrow, Monday, at 1.00am, Three Lions of England will try Mexico and at 8.00pm also tomorrow, Portugal will tackle Spain all in the round of 16 games.
#FIFA #2026WORLDCUP #EUFA
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