France are bracing for furnace-like temperatures when they face Paraguay in Philadelphia in the World Cup's last 16 on Saturday, as co-hosts Canada prepare for a difficult game against Morocco in Houston.
A severe heatwave is affecting parts of the United States as it celebrates 4 July, and Les Bleus take on Paraguay at Lincoln Financial Field against a backdrop of extreme heat warnings.
Temperatures in the Pennsylvania city touched 38C on Friday, and the US National Weather Service is warning of more of the same on Saturday, when the game kicks off at 5:00pm local time.
The team will be prepared for the conditions, France coach Didier Deschamps said.
"It is something we need to take into account, but I think every team has prepared for it. It can have an impact on all the teams," said Deschamps.
"This will be our fifth game at the tournament and that will have an impact as well, but I am not fixated on the heat."
France are 'like an electrical storm'
France have been the outstanding team of the tournament so far, producing a series of impressive attacking performances to reach the last 16, scoring 13 goals in four games.
The South Americans are more concerned by France's attack than the weather, Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro said.
"France are like an electrical storm. We need to be aware that the storm is coming and try to be prepared for the lightning bolts," Alfaro said.
"We are used to the heat, and of course we have to suffer with it. You would never play a World Cup game at 5:00 pm in Paraguay, and if we did we might lose, but it's like when you go to Quito (to play Ecuador), and you have to be ready for the altitude."
Paraguay showed in their win over Germany in the last 32 that they are likely to present a rugged challenge to French hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.
The South Americans are likely to bring a physical approach to Saturday's game, France forward Bradley Barcola said.
"It's a team that defends a lot. They're going to dish out a lot of knocks," Barcola said.
"But they are also a footballing team. We saw that against Germany."
Canada's uphill task
Canada are chasing what would be a massive upset in Saturday's early last-16 game, when they take on 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco in Houston.
The Canadians are riding high after defeating South Africa in Los Angeles last Sunday to reach the last 16, but beating Morocco will require a whole new level of performance.
"Morocco is a team that has literally zero weaknesses," Canada coach Jesse Marsch said Friday.
"We have to try to be good at the things that we care about and that we are good at.
"We're going to need to handle the difficulty of what Morocco is going to throw at us at every moment, and make sure that we are understanding exactly who we are, how we want to play, who we want to be, and that we execute that at the highest level."
(with AFP)
