Mbappe France Beat Morocco to Reach World Cup Semi-Finals
Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring during France's World Cup quarter-final win over Morocco.
Foxborough, Massachusetts: Mbappe inspired France to a 2-0 victory over Morocco on Thursday, sending the defending finalists into the FIFA World Cup semi-finals after another impressive display from the Real Madrid forward.
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Mbappe Recovers After Early Penalty Miss
Kylian Mbappe saw his first-half penalty saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. However, the France captain responded in style by curling a superb shot into the net in the 60th minute.
The goal was Mbappe’s eighth of the tournament. As a result, he drew level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot and took his World Cup tally to 20 goals in 20 appearances.
France Seal Another Comfortable Victory
France doubled their lead six minutes later. This time, Mbappe created the opportunity for Ousmane Dembele, who calmly finished past Bounou to secure the quarter-final victory.
Meanwhile, Mbappe left the pitch late in the match with an ice pack on his right ankle, although France comfortably protected their lead until the final whistle.
Morocco Fall Short Despite Strong Support
Morocco enjoyed significant backing from the crowd but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities. Although goalkeeper Bounou made several important saves, France’s defence recorded a third consecutive clean sheet in the knockout stage.
The Atlas Lions were also without injured midfielder Ismael Saibari. Consequently, they lacked the attacking threat needed to challenge the French defence throughout the match.
France Eye Another World Cup Final
France have now reached the semi-finals for the third consecutive World Cup under head coach Didier Deschamps. Next, Les Bleus will face either Spain or Belgium in Dallas for a place in the final.
Didier Deschamps praised his team’s discipline and belief after the victory. Overall, France remain firmly on course to reach a third successive World Cup final after lifting the trophy in 2018 and finishing runners-up in 2022.
