France defeats Paraguay in World Cup round of 16 amid refereeing criticism

France secured a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals after defeating Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16. The match's only goal was scored by Kylian Mbappe via a penalty kick in the 70th minute. Following the game, the French team and coach Didier Deschamps expressed dissatisfaction with the officiating by referee Ilgiz Tantashev. Reports noted that the referee issued three yellow cards to French players but none to Paraguay, despite several physical challenges. The French newspaper L'Equipe gave the referee a 1-0 rating, accusing him of failing to control the match and applying inconsistent standards. Kylian Mbappe remarked on the challenging nature of the opponent's play, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic also criticized the officiating regarding the physical intensity of the match. The French team argued that the referee's decisions could have potentially influenced the final outcome of the game.