EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Kylian Mbappé and France are sizzling — and not just because of MetLife Stadium's broiling conditions.
Mbappé had his third two-goal game of this World Cup and set a career scoring record for the tournament's knockout rounds, leading Les Bleus over Sweden 3-0 on Tuesday to set up a round of 16 match against Paraguay.
“I personally haven't seen a better team,” Sweden coach Graham Potter said. “The quality they have all over
the pitch and then the options for them off the bench are very, very strong, so they’ve got as good a chance as anybody, I would suggest.”
France's 27-year-old star scored the go-ahead goal with a brilliant crossover step in the 45th minute and added his sixth goal of the tournament in the 74th to tie Lionel Messi for the tournament scoring lead. He has 18 goals in 18 World Cup games, one behind the Argentine's career scoring record of 19 in 29 matches.
In between, Bradley Barcola had a 53rd-minute goal for France, which became the first nation to score three or more goals in five consecutive World Cup matches.
“I’m very aware of who I am, how I play, what I shall do, but it’s not just about me,” Mbappé said through a translator. "The entire team is aware of what should be done. It is a new competition that has started today. We did play well, but we were timid. We could have done better at the beginning."
Mbappé’s 10 knockout round goals are two more than the previous high by Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo.
France coach Didier Deschamps bowed when Mbappé came to the bench after he was substituted in the 85th minute.
“We’re on a mission — so am I with them,” Deschamps said through a translator.
France has outscored opponents 13-2. Michael Olise has five assists, the most in a World Cup since Germany's Thomas Hassler had five in 1994.
“They are skilled at knowing when to change the pace and increase it, when to possess the ball, went to fall back,” Sweden captain Victor Lindelöf said through a translator.
Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on July 4 in Philadelphia. The winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
It was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), sunny and humid at the 5 p.m. kickoff with poor air quality at the site of the July 19 final. Many fans in the club areas stayed inside their air-conditioned suites.
France outshot Sweden 25-7 in the first World Cup meeting between the nations, including 15-3 in the first half.
Mbappé hit a post in the 32nd minute, raising both hands in disgust, and France nearly went ahead four minutes later on Olise’s spectacular bicycle kick from just inside the penalty area, which also clanked off a post.
“I said I think we needed a couple of miracles. We had a couple, but we ran out of them," Potter said. “So we needed a few more.”
Mbappé scored after goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström tipped Olise’s shot just outside the post.
Olise played a short corner kick to Ousmane Dembélé, who passed to Mbappé near the byline. Mbappé took a crossover step to get around Viktor Gyökeres and from just outside the 6-yard box sent a diagonal shot inside the far post.
Mbappé ran up the center of the field to celebrate, colliding with Dembélé, and jogged to the bench to hug Deschamps, who returned for the match after going to France for his mother’s funeral.
“He knows that he will never be alone with us, and we will support him,” Mbappé said.
Gustaf Lagerbielke lost the ball ahead of France’s second goal. Aurélien Tchouaméni passed to Olise, who nutmegged Lagerbielke, and Barcola took a centering touch and sent the ball past Zetterström’s outstretched right hand.
Mbappé entertained the crowd with a backheel pass to Barcola in the buildup to France’s third goal, the 62nd of his international career. Barcola passed to Olise, who sent the ball forward as Mbappé sprinted into the penalty area, took a touch and fired the ball inside the far post.
“We continue to deliver great performances,” Mbappé said.
A crowd of 80,663 raised the record total for the expanded 104-match tournament above 5 million. A majority of fans wore France’s blue, with a pocket in Sweden’s yellow at one end.
“I have no complaints to the players whatsoever. I said to them after the game I don’t think it’s a disgrace to lose to France," Potter said. “For us it’s about using this as a foundation to go forward and to be proud of what we’ve done so far.”
Speaking just after the final whistle, Mbappé wasn't quite ready to turn his attention to Paraguay just yet.
“I’m looking forward to the changing room and the AC," he said.
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AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
