It was a battle – literally and figuratively. Paraguay used a combination of determination and the dark arts to keep favorites France at bay, until a moment of magic from Desiree Du earned a penalty kick that Kylian Mbappe easily converted.
The final score was 1-0 thanks in large part to Paraguay, and it may give other teams an idea of how to stop the juggernaut that is France. But perhaps there was some learning for this French team too on a day when the temperature was 38 degrees Celsius, the hottest ever seen in a FIFA World Cup match.
Paraguay are comfortable without the ball (far more so than other teams) – averaging just 28% possession in their first four matches, they had the second-lowest possession in the tournament. They sit deep, frustrate opponents, and find a way to win games. It’s not pretty, but it’s worked so far; He helped them qualify for the knockout rounds and helped them knock out Germany.
But can this tactic work against France, who possess some of the most exciting attacking talent in world football? As kickoff time approached, that was the question on most fans’ minds.
The team’s coach, Gustavo Alfaro, had issued the official statement on the eve of the Germany match.
“We came here to compete,” he added. “Not looking for results. This group of players overcame difficulties and showed that football does not depend on how much money a country has. Our people rise from adversity, and we want to represent this spirit on the field.”
He struck a similar tune for France, portraying his team as the clear underdog.
Alvaro said before the match: “France is a thunderstorm, and almost all of its lightning strikes the ground. Our task is to protect ourselves from this thunderstorm.”
To be fair, the low mass worked. France had pace, but they kept running into a wall of defenders. Paraguay had two players marking Michael Ulis and two others on Ousmane Dembélé. With creative talent eradicated, shots from distance were the only way left.
This didn’t hurt Paraguay much and none of them scored in the first half. So, while France was running the game, they weren’t making much progress.
Then, in the 61st minute, Didier Deschamps scored the game-clinching goal. Doe made two starts, but Bradley Barkola’s direct style seemed to take precedence. Now, he turned to the wriggling-fingered winger.
Many managers do not like players who are constantly looking to beat the opponent. It can get repetitive, it can slow down the game, and sometimes, it’s just a show.
But in a tense game – and we’ve seen plenty of those at this World Cup – a dash of brilliance can be useful. That’s exactly what Doe brought into the mix. There was very little space to play in the middle and even less space to run in behind, but Du ran down the left, passing the defenders. The ball moved from his right foot to his left, and just when he appeared to break through, Diego Gomez stuck his leg out.
After a VAR review, Mbappe converted a penalty kick and scored in the 70th minute. The record books will show this was the France captain’s seventh goal of the tournament, equaling Lionel Messi’s record in the Golden Boot race, but this moment belonged to Doe and his ilk.
The crazy dodgers, the people who inspire awe; of nutmeg defenders; Who enjoy deception. From Garrincha to Messi, there have been many who have walked this path. But the path is not straight, and not everyone who follows it will find success.
The Dodgers go out of bounds, back into a corner and then somehow (not always) find a way out of that predicament. When they do, it panics the defense and brings the crowd to their feet.
This is one of the reasons why we love watching Lamin Yamal or Jeremy Doku. This is also why we still hope that Neymar will go to Brazil. They all have magic in their feet and joy in their hearts.
