Kylian Mbappé scored twice as France cruised to a 3-0 victory over Sweden in a World Cup group stage match, showcasing the kind of attacking football that creates lasting memories. Mbappé's brace drew him level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, while Michael Olise delivered a virtuoso performance with two assists and nearly a hat-trick of his own.
France's attacking brilliance
France dominated possession from the start, but Sweden posed a threat on the counter-attack in the opening 30 minutes. The breakthrough came when Adrian Rabiot forced a save from Jacob Widell Zetterström, followed by Mbappé hitting the post from close range. Olise then struck the woodwork with a scissor kick, and Ousmane Dembélé fired over the rebound. Olise also tested Zetterström from distance, but the Swedish keeper saved at full stretch.
The corner led to the opening goal. Dembélé played it short to Olise, who returned the pass. Dembélé shifted the ball to Mbappé inside the box on the right. Despite a tight angle and defenders in his way, Mbappé shuffled past Gyökeres and curled a shot beyond Zetterström. The French squad celebrated with coach Didier Deschamps, a gesture Mbappé later said reflected the team's unity. "It's in the DNA of this group to be together and to support one another," Mbappé said.
Second-half dominance
France doubled their lead eight minutes into the second half. Sweden lost possession after shutting down a French passing sequence, allowing Aurélien Tchouaméni to seize the ball and pass to Olise. Olise produced a perfectly weighted pass between the Swedish centre-half and full-back for Bradley Barcola, who strode into the box and smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Olise continued to impress, drifting across the forward line and creating danger. He forced another sprawling save from Zetterström from over 20 yards. A mesmerizing passing triangle between Olise, Rabiot, and Jules Koundé on the halfway line lasted a minute, with passes coming off the instep, outstep, and toe, each with distinct weight and spin.
Mbappé's second goal seals win
Olise got his second assist and Mbappé his second goal with 15 minutes remaining. Another beautiful sequence saw Olise deliver a deft pass, Mbappé make a perfectly timed run, and curl the ball into the far side of the goal. The performance left spectators in awe.
Deschamps praised his team's mindset, saying, "Team France has excellent players and when they have this state of mind and type of concentration it bodes very well." He added that the team needs to fine-tune things as tougher opponents lie ahead. Sweden coach Graham Potter commended his side's efforts against a "very strong opponent" and described the challenge of containing France. "They use the width very well. You have to defend the full width of the pitch and because of the quality of the players in wide areas you have to double up. Football is quite simple really, and if you're strong all over the pitch you've got a good chance to win matches," Potter said.
