Mbappe: 'We can play ugly football. Paraguay thought we'd turn up in tuxedos, but we were there'

Frednch head coach Didier Deschamps feared Paraguay would 'chop down' star man Kylian Mbappe as favourites advance to quarter final

LAUGH IT OFF: French talisman Kylian Mbappe smiles at Paraguay trio Matias Galarza, Gustavo Velazquez and midfielder Andres Cubas in Saturday night's World Cup round of 16 clash in Philadelphia. Pic: Jewel Samad/AFP via Getty Images

Kylian ​Mbappe converted a second-half penalty as France sweated through a suffocating Philadelphia furnace and wrestled their way ‌out of a brutal scrap with Paraguay to snatch a 1-0 win on Saturday, setting up a World Cup quarter-final against Morocco.

Mbappe's 19th World Cup goal in as many appearances ensured there would be no repeat of Paraguay's shock elimination of four-time champions Germany — or Cape Verde's near-miracle against ​Argentina the previous day — as France survived a contest their opponents repeatedly dragged into murky waters.