Mbappe and Olise star against a disappointing Sweden side in one-sided World Cup romp

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]Les Bleus'[/a] form leading into the match was nothing short of sensational, given that they'd won five and lost one of their previous six matches in all competitions, scoring 17 goals and conceding only six.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] already in top form[/h2][p]In [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olise-michael/E5pvwqkK/"]Michael Olise[/a], they also had arguably the tournament's most impactful front three, with the latter two assists away from the most in the tournament so far, and the former two behind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a] as this World Cup's Golden Boot. Dembele was in superb scoring form too.[/p][p]Three more goals from the team collectively against the Swedes would also see them become the first country in World Cup history to score 3+ goals in five consecutive games at the tournament (taking into account the 2022 final, too).[/p][image alt="France's current form" id="658eb883-c84f-4ad4-a01a-f2c3c970cb9d" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="17648598-b6a3-4b4a-9320-6d6f599df92f" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/isak-alexander/p41IV42c/"]Alexander Isak[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gyokeres-viktor/zaBZ1xIk/"]Viktor Gyokeres[/a] would lead the line for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/OQyqbHWB/"]Sweden[/a], both outstanding strikers in their own right, even if they hadn't shown the class of the French trio in their group games.[/p][p]It was the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] man who had the game's first chance of any description, getting his effort on target after just three minutes.[/p][h2]Sweden quicker out of the blocks[/h2][p]The opening exchanges saw the Swedes utilising Isak's pace and Gyokeres' quality hold-up play in order to frustrate an opponent that was finding it difficult to get their free-flowing natural game going.[/p][p]France may have had 68% collective possession during the opening quarter hour of the game, but had little to show for their apparent dominance.[/p][image alt="France v Sweden - Momentum shift" id="27fda745-9f68-4cca-baa5-1d989d6ede1a" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="3f291b8f-5d2c-4919-b9f8-b61c271391b5" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]As the half wore on, however, the match took on a distinct pattern, with the Swedish players often resorting to route one, which only saw to it that the French came right back at them.[/p][p]Mbappe's on-target shot in the 17th minute was quickly followed up by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barcola-bradley/lhGD3RgS/"]Bradley Barcola[/a]'s effort, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/svensson-daniel/bs9KBNfb/"]Daniel Svensson[/a] and his colleagues working overtime to repel wave after wave of attacks.[/p][h2]Mbappe breaks the deadlock[/h2][p]Svensson would at least win all three of his tackles across the game, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lindelof-victor/OIp0Le1f/"]Victor Lindelof[/a] would also have a 100% record in that regard, whilst [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lagerbielke-gustaf/UwOm1wvF/"]Gustaf Lagerbielke[/a]'s 11 one-on-one duels as the game progressed also told a story.[/p][p]The Swedes did at least have an outlet in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/elanga-anthony/dOlRWlZ6/"]Anthony Elanga[/a], who not only won possession back on five occasions but consistently showed a clean pair of heels to the French back line, helping to alleviate the pressure.[/p][embed guid="61d5887e-f714-4d8a-94c8-e513010c324e" url="https://x.com/equipedefrance/status/2072075619072946332" social-type="twitter" /][p]Pressure that was building nicely as half-time approached, and which saw both Mbappe and Olise hit the post, the latter with an astonishingly acrobatic overhead kick that would've been the goal of the tournament had it gone in.[/p][p]They were two of 15 efforts, either on or off target, from the French in the first half, which looked as though it would remain goalless until Mbappe was far too quick for the opposition from a slick corner routine, and he fired his side in front in the 45th minute.[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /][h2]Long way back for Sweden[/h2][p]Sweden goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zetterstrom-widell/OG2Bcuat/"]Jacob Widell Zetterstrom[/a], who was left flat-footed, had already made five saves prior to the goal to help keep his side in the game, all to no avail, it seemed.[/p][p]It was always going to be a long way back for Potter's men after that, if only because France had avoided defeat in their previous 29 matches when scoring first at the World Cup (since losing to Poland on 10th July 1982).[/p][image alt="France v Sweden - Player ratings" id="419dd84e-76c1-494e-ad30-dc23ed641094" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="5ba1a175-3aeb-49e9-9ec3-b6ce67189841" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]As good as Sweden had begun the half, it ended ominously for them, with Isak going on to have only eight touches of the ball before the official blew the half-time whistle.[/p][p]Poor distribution was also hampering their chances to put together a dangerous move or two, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stroud-elliot/4rVMk5Sb/"]Elliot Stroud[/a] completing just 58.3% of his passes, and Gyokeres only 38.5% of his. [/p][p]Though the striker won the majority of his 10 one-on-one duels, it meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. Between him and Isak, they made just 15 passes that found a teammate, and that's a damning statistic at this level.[/p][h2]Barcola and Mbappe end the game as a contest[/h2][p]With all but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/digne-lucas/v9Ux4sua/"]Lucas Digne[/a] in the French team finding their teammates well over 80% of the time, the difference was evident for all to see, and it would take just seven minutes of the second half for  Barcola to effectively end the game as a contest, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a] flyer smashing home from Olise's assist.[/p][embed guid="e6b8200e-8171-42d7-b3dc-35c07e4f3e54" url="https://x.com/FrenchTeam/status/2072082876472918526" social-type="twitter" /][p]Barcola and right-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kounde-jules/v36QVRPu/"]Jules Kounde[/a] would go on to have six touches each in the Sweden box, and with four more players having at least three each, the French were now swarming all over their opponents.[/p][p]Olise's sixth shot was one of 25 that France would have on or off target, with the winger soon after setting up Mbappe for his sixth goal of the tournament.[/p][image alt="France v Sweden - Match stats" id="a8a7e5e9-ff12-410c-9c65-a7b12960d7e9" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="89dbf23f-bc33-4190-988d-75cdd8b1dda1" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Until a few very late attempts from Sweden, as their opponents eased off the accelerator, all they had to show for their attacking efforts was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bergvall-lucas/th3mAHj9/"]Lucas Bergvall[/a]'s shot before the hour.[/p][p]Zetterstrom would go on to make nine saves in total, at least keeping the scoreline respectable against a rampant French side that no one will want to face when they're in this mood.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/france-QkGeVG1n/sweden-OQyqbHWB/?mid=UN3MMEFl"]Check out the match summary here[/a][/b].[/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]