France underlined why they remain one of the favourites to win the trophy with a dominant 3-0 victory over Sweden, courtesy to another masterclass from Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise. Meanwhile, Norway overcame a difficult challenge from Ivory Coast, prevailing 2-1 thanks to a late Erling Haaland goal.
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One contest was an example of complete dominance. The other was a battle that came down to the last seconds. They delivered everything football fans enjoy about the World Cup.
**France 3-0 Sweden: Mbappe and Olise Put on a show
France were threatening from the start, but Sweden initially frustrated Didier Deschamps' team. Mbappé thought he'd opened the score after racing through on goal in the 20th minute, but the assistant referee's flag denied him. Sweden's defence used a superbly timed offside trap to keep the game tied. France continued to apply pressure. Mbappé was surprised when he hit the post with an open goal at his mercy in the 31st minute, while Michael Olise nearly scored one of the tournament's goals four minutes later. The winger's amazing scissor kick hit the crossbar, sending supporters inside the stadium holding their hands over their heads. Rather than allowing lost opportunities to deter them, France continued to attack with confidence. Their perseverance paid off on the stroke of halftime. Mbappé retrieved the ball, slid past defenders with his customary pace and poise, and calmly tapped home to give France a well-deserved lead at halftime. Michael Olise dominated the second half. The winger turned provider in the 53rd minute, sending a wonderfully weighted pass into the path of Bradley Barcola, who doubled France's lead with a clinical finish. Olise wasn't finished yet. With little over 15 minutes left, he sent another inch-perfect through ball, releasing Mbappé, who scored clinically to make it 3-0 and put the game beyond doubt. Barcola nearly added a fourth after demonstrating wonderful technique to beat two defenders, but Sweden's goalkeeper made an excellent save. Mike Maignan, on the other end, reminded everyone of his abilities with a great late save that prevented Viktor Gyökeres from scoring a consolation goal.
Mbappé Continues to Rewrite History
The victory was notable not only because France won convincingly, but also because Mbappé added another chapter to his legendary World Cup career.
With 10 goals, the French captain surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo as the all-time greatest scorer in FIFA World Cup knockout stages. He also drew level with Lionel Messi in the race for the tournament's Golden Boot and is now only one goal behind Messi on the all-time World Cup scoring table, having scored 18 goals in only 18 matches.
Olise also commemorated a memorable night.
His two assists increased his tournament total to five, the most by any player at a World Cup since 1994, and cemented his status as one of the competition's breakout stars.
Norway 2-1 Ivory Coast: Haaland Strikes Late as Norway Survive African Test
While France had a smooth evening, Norway had to dig deep against a courageous Ivory Coast team.
The Elephants had the better start, with Yan Diomande and Nicolas Pépé causing regular issues down the wings. Throughout the first half-hour, their attacking intent kept Norway on the back foot.
However, sports frequently rewards moments of greatness.
Antonio Nusa did just that in the 39th minute, looping a spectacular strike into the top corner to give Norway a 1-0 lead against the run of play.
Norway nearly doubled their lead before the interval, but Erling Haaland missed a good opportunity.
After halftime, Norway thought they had finally found their second goal, but Ivory Coast cleared the ball dramatically off the goal line.
That error proved costly.
In the 74th minute, replacement Amad Diallo had an impressive debut. Picking up possession deep within Norway's half, he went on an incredible solo run before finishing neatly to tie the game at 1-1.
The goal immediately generated controversy over whether Manchester United's winger should have begun the game.
However, just as Ivory Coast felt momentum swinging in their favor, Haaland reminded everyone why he is still one of the world's deadliest finishers.
The Norwegian striker had been effectively contained throughout the game, but in the 86th minute, he was in the right place at the right time to score the game-winning goal.
It wasn't his most influential performance, but elite strikers are often judged by decisive moments rather than overall involvement.
Norway Hold On
Ivory Coast threw everything forward in stoppage time and nearly equalized with a dangerous free kick in the 96th minute. Norway's goalkeeper made an incredible save to hold the lead and advance his country to the World Cup Round of 16 for the third time in history. The result also sets up a thrilling knockout match versus Brazil, which promises to be one of the next round's highlight games.
Ivory Coast Exit with Pride
Despite the fact that their World Cup odyssey has come to an end, Ivory Coast has taken many positives from the event. The Elephants pushed several elite nations throughout the competition and were unfortunate not to upset Germany earlier in the tournament. They matched Norway for lengthy spells and produced enough opportunities to force overtime. With youthful talents like Amad Diallo and Yan Diomande thriving on football's grandest platform, Ivorian football's future seems promising.