France will unleash their devastating forward line on Sweden in a last-32 tie at the World Cup on Tuesday, while Erling Haaland will try to fire Norway past the Ivory Coast and into the next round, as co-hosts Mexico bid to continue their journey in front of a fervent crowd at the Estadio Azteca when they take on Ecuador. The Swedish defense is bracing to face not only Kylian Mbappé, who has scored four times already in this tournament, but also Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who notched a hat-trick in the group stage, alongside Michael Olise whose creative runs have been causing absolute havoc for opponents. With attacking swagger and midfield flair, France appear well-placed to reach their third consecutive final, though questions remain over a defense that Premier League duo Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres will desperately try to unlock for Sweden. If France advance, they will face surprise conquerors Paraguay—who made history on Monday by knocking out Germany in a penalty shootout—prompting coach Didier Deschamps to warn his team to stay humble and focused as there are no second chances in the knockout phase. Sweden’s coach Graham Potter openly admitted his side will have to play the game of their lives to overcome the 2018 champions after qualifying through an unusual Nations League playoff route and advancing as one of the best third-placed teams. Meanwhile, a fully rested Erling Haaland, who already has four goals in two games, returns for Norway’s clash against the Ivory Coast in Dallas, earning immense praise from coach Ståle Solbakken who labeled the powerhouse striker as one of the world’s best intuitive leaders. Rounding off the high-stakes matchday, Mexico knows a victory over Ecuador keeps them in their capital city to face either England or the Democratic Republic of Congo, following a dramatic Monday that saw Morocco eliminate the Netherlands in a shootout courtesy of Yassine Bounou’s heroics, and Brazil bounce back to edge a stubborn Japan 2-1.
