LOS ANGELES — Kylian Mbappe extended his red-hot scoring streak to fire France past Sweden and into the last 16 of the World Cup on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) as Erling Haaland sealed Norway’s first-ever knockout round victory in a 2-1 defeat of Ivory Coast.
Mbappe took his tally for the tournament to six goals — making him joint top-scorer alongside Lionel Messi — with a superb double as France strolled past the Swedes, 3-0, at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The prolific French striker’s latest brace took his career World Cup goals record to an incredible 18 in 18 matches, one behind Argentina superstar Messi’s all-time record of 19 goals.
Bradley Barcola scored France’s other goal as Les Bleus produced another dazzling exhibition of attacking football that underscored their status as favorites for the title.
Sweden manager Graham Potter had warned beforehand that his team would have to produce the game of their lives to have a chance of containing France’s multi-pronged offensive arsenal.
But after France were held at bay for most of the opening 45 minutes, Mbappe finally broke the Scandinavians’ resistance on the stroke of halftime, jinking into space before rifling home.
Barcola made it 2-0 on 53 minutes before Mbappe added a second in the 74th minute to seal a victory that sends France into a last 16 duel with Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday.
“I know who I am and what I’ve got to do, but it’s not just me, I think the team is perfectly aware of what we have to do here,” Mbappe told French broadcaster beIN Sports.
Haaland rescues Norway
Earlier Tuesday, in-form Manchester City striker Haaland fired Norway to their first-ever World Cup knockout win in a 2-1 defeat of Ivory Coast at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Haaland swept in an 86th-minute winner to slam the door on Ivory Coast’s hopes of a fightback after Amad Diallo had equalized for the Africans following Antonio Nusa’s opener for Norway.
The Norwegians — beaten in both of their previous opening knockout round appearances in 1938 and 1998 — will face Brazil in the last 16 on Sunday with a place in the quarterfinals up for grabs.
Haaland will head into that meeting brimming with confidence after taking his tally for the tournament to five goals, one behind joint top-scorers Messi and Mbappe.
Ivory Coast’s Diallo came within a whisker of grabbing an injury time equalizer, but his curling free-kick destined for the top corner was saved by Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.
The victory was a vindication for Norway coach Stale Solbakken, who had faced stinging criticism after benching Haaland and fielding a second-string team in their final group game, a 4-1 thrashing by France, last week.
Solbakken saluted Haaland as the “greatest goalscorer in the world” after Norway’s win. AFP
LONDON — The roars began even before Serena Williams stepped on Center Court. Then they grew louder when the 23-time Grand Slam champion arrived to play her first singles match in nearly four years.
And when it was all over and the 44-year-old Williams had performed admirably in a three-set defeat to an opponent less than half her age in the opening round of Wimbledon with her two daughters cheering her on, Williams smiled as she walked off to a loud round of applause.
“It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here,” Williams, who did not meet with media after the match, said in a statement released by Wimbledon organizers. “The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it, and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”
In a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 loss to 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia on Tuesday, Williams showed she can still crank out serves faster than 120 mph and dictate points with her heavy groundstrokes.
Movement was an issue for Williams, though, and the 87th-ranked Joint was able to handle Williams’ pace and win more of the big points by hitting beyond the American’s reach.
While Williams played two doubles matches just before Wimbledon to announce her comeback to the sport she once dominated, she hadn’t played a singles match since the 2022 US Open.
“She has such an aura, she’s just a legend and this court has so many huge names that have played on it,” Joint added.
Williams has 98 career victories and seven titles in singles on the hallowed grass of the All England Club. By contrast, it was Joint’s first Wimbledon victory in just her second appearance at the All England Club after losing in the opening round last year.
But Joint won a Wimbledon warmup in nearby Eastbourne last year and knows how to play on grass.
