EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ: France uncorked a Champagne performance on Tuesday to sweep Sweden aside 3-0 with a display of attacking verve and precision and book their place in the World Cup last 16. The scoreline flattered Sweden. France’s flamboyant attack might have reached double figures were it not for the woodwork and a series of near-misses measured in millimetres.
Paraguay lie in wait, and the exhilarating football France produced here will do little to help the South Americans sleep before their last-16 meeting.