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Kylian Mbappe snubs Paraguay GK Orlando Gill’s handshake, sparking on-field drama after France’s 1-0 Round of 16 victory.
Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring a goal past Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill (12) during the World Cup round of 16 game (Picture credit: AP)
Star French forward Kylian Mbappe ignored a handshake attempt from Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill, leading the latter to lose his cool after the 2018 champions romped into the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win.
Considered among the favourites to lift the trophy, France were pushed into a hard-fought, physical contest by Paraguay in the sweltering heat of Philadelphia. Mbappé, who spent much of the game on the receiving end of heavy challenges, netted the decisive goal from the penalty spot after a VAR review confirmed a foul on Désiré Doué.
After the final whistle, tempers flared during the customary handshake line as Gill extended his hand to Mbappé, only for the latter to ignore the gesture and turn away to celebrate with the travelling supporters.
A frustrated Gill then hurled the ball at Mbappé, striking him on the back, but the latter opted not to react. Watch the video here:
Paraguay’s attempts to unsettle France’s star-studded team proved effective for much of the contest, with the underdogs frustrating their opponents for almost 75 minutes in sweltering Philadelphia heat before 68,324 spectators.
But the quality in the French ranks shone through, with Mbappe converting from the spot on 70 minutes after Doue was brought down.
This wasn’t an attacking masterclass by the French as they had produced in their previous matches, but Paraguay didn’t permit them to play that way.
It was very much a mismatch, though, with Les Bleus having almost all of the ball and Paraguay not managing a shot on target until the 90th minute.
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