Mbappe propels France

Defending champ first to knockouts

Kylian Mbappe scored two goals and put defending champion France into the knockout stage of the World Cup with a 2-1 win against Denmark on Saturday at Doha, Qatar.

Mbappe gave his team the lead in the 61st minute and then scored the winner in the 86th with his right thigh as Les Bleus became the first team to advance to the round of 16.

Mbappe scored four goals when France won the World Cup four years ago, including one in the final. He now has 31 goals for France, moving him one ahead of Just Fontaine — the all-time leading scorer at a single World Cup with 13 goals at the 1958 tournament.

Other games

Australia 1, Tunisia 0: The Socceroos kept their knockout stage hopes alive, defeating Tunisia at Wakrah to move into second place in Group D with one game remaining. Mitchell Duke headed in Craig Goodwin’s cross in the 23rd minute for the winner.

Poland 2, Saudi Arabia 0: Robert Lewandowski at last scored a goal in a World Cup match, helping Poland boost his team’s chances of reaching the knockout stages.

Argentina 2, Mexico Lionel Messi rescued Argentina from the brink of elimination, scoring the first goal at Lusail to keep the South American champions on track to reach the knockout round.