France Defeats Morocco 2-0 to Reach World Cup Semifinals

France vs Morocco live score

By Henry Hanson

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Match reports

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France vs Morocco

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We'll leave it there

By Henry Hanson

France lock in a semifinal appearance with a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Morocco.

What a team they are.

Tomorrow morning, we will discover who they will face in the semifinals.

It's Spain vs Belgium, beginning at 5am AEST.

We look forward to seeing you then!

Quick hits: England defender banned, US star breaks leg

By Henry Hanson

Who will be France's semifinal opponent?

By Henry Hanson

We'll find out tomorrow, with Belgium and Spain facing off in the second quarterfinal in LA.

Spain were my pre-tournament pick to win the whole thing, and La Roja have been effective without quite setting the world alight so far in North America.

The team is very much set up in a way to get the most out of the supremely talented Lamine Yamal, who is still yet to really announce himself at the tournament after playing himself back to full fitness in its early stages.

Belgium, meanwhile, will be looking to build on by-far their best performance of the tournament.

The Red Devils, who had somehow managed to sneak past Senegal with a late fightback in the Round of 32, were completely dominant in a 4-1 victory over the US.

The USMNT were admittedly terrible in Seattle, but Belgium were clinical and professional with a new-look starting XI.

Kevin de Bruyne, Jeremy Doku and Romelu Lukaku were all left on the bench as Charles De Ketelaere struck twice in their absence.

A much tougher task awaits Belgium tomorrow morning at 5am AEST.

Advantage Mbappé in the race for the golden boot

By Henry Hanson

So, Kylian Mbappé moves level with Lionel Messi on eight goals at the top of the golden boot standings.

Both players are now on eight goals, with Erling Haaland on seven, Harry Kane on six, and Ousmane Dembélé, after his strike today, now on five.

But having set up Dembélé for France's second goal against Morocco, it is Mbappé who leads the race for the gong.

The French superstar now has three assists in North America, with assists being the tie-breaking metric if two players end the tournament level on goals.

Messi has one.

Match report: Mbappé stars again as France cruises past Morocco

By Henry Hanson

AP

Kylian Mbappé had a goal and an assist after missing a first-half penalty kick, Ousmane Dembélé scored the other and France beat Morocco 2-0 Thursday in the World Cup quarterfinals.

Mbappé's goal in the 60th minute was the 20th of his World Cup career and came in his 20th match at the tournament, moving him one behind Argentina captain Lionel Messi. Dembélé scored his fifth goal of the tournament in the 66th.

Mbappé was taken down in the 76th minute and was taken off for a substitute a minute later. He was then shown sitting on the bench with an ice pack on his right ankle.

After the match and with both shoes on, Mbappé ran and jumped in celebration with his teammates.

France will face either Spain or Belgium in the semifinals in Dallas on Tuesday.

France beat Morocco by the same score in the semifinals of the 2022 tournament in Qatar when the Atlas Lions became the first African team to make it that far. France now remains on track to become only the third nation to play in the final of three consecutive World Cups.

Mbappé got his goal with a perfectly placed shot just inside the far post after Morocco failed to clear the ball. He received the ball just outside the area, took a couple steps forward and then sent his shot sailing into the net. He extended both arms and ran to the sideline to celebrate with his teammates.

France's second goal came after Mbappé took a pass and tapped it back for Dembélé. Mbappé kept running forward and took defenders with him, opening space for Dembélé's shot.

All that came after Mbappé had missed the opportunity to put France ahead midway through the first half, with the French talisman being brought down by Noussair Mazraoui and awarded penalty.

Mbappé lined up waiting for his attempt but was held up by a lengthy video review. He was finally cleared to shoot in the 28th minute, but after a hesitation, Mbappé's shot toward the right corner was corralled by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who guessed the direction of the shot correctly.

FT stats

By Henry Hanson

Statistical domination for the French, who conjured 3.05 expected goals to Morocco's 0.14 in Massachusetts.

France's front five fires once more

By Henry Hanson

It was another good afternoon for France's fantastic front five.

Désiré Doué came into the starting XI for Bradley Barcola today and looked right at home alongside Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise.

Barcola entered the game late in the second half and came close to finding the net at the near post.

Here's how the afternoon panned out for the attacking quintet.

Ousmane Dembélé: 1 goal, 4 shots, 4 chances created

Kylian Mbappé: 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 shots, 4 chances created

Désiré Doué: 3 shots, 3 chances created

Michael Olise: 3 shots, 1 chance created

Bradley Barcola: 1 shot, 2 chances created

That's a combined two goals, two assists, 15 shots and 11 chances created for the fearsome five.

French joy in Boston

By Henry Hanson

Understated celebrations for the French, who cruised past Morocco in Massachusetts.

Mbappé receives treatment on the bench

By Henry Hanson

One to keep an eye on.

Kylian Mbappé looked a little ginger after being subbed off in the second half and received some treatment while on the bench.

He looked to have some sort of issue with his right foot and we saw footage of him holding some ice to it as the game drew to a close.

However, it must be said, he didn't look overly concerned.

FT: France 2 - 0 Morocco

By Henry Hanson

France marches on.

The final whistle blows on a professional, comprehensive display from Les Bleus in Massachusetts.

Second-half goals to Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé send the French to their third-straight World Cup semifinal.

This team is seriously scary.

Against a very good Morocco side, France hardly broke a sweat in the Boston heat, dictating things through midfield and creating more than enough in the final third.

They will face either Belgium or Spain in the semifinals.

For Morocco, another wildly successful tournament comes to an end.

The Atlas Lions were well beaten today, but there are few teams in the history of world football who wouldn't have been.

90+3' France marching on

By Henry Hanson

Morocco just haven't been able to conjure anything in the Boston heat.

It's still looking the more likely, and JP Mateta goes close to adding a third, but he scuffs his shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Morroco's Gessime Yassine has a crack from close to halfway, but his speculative shot is over the bar.

90' We're into six minutes of stoppage time

By Henry Hanson

88' Barcola goes close

By Henry Hanson

There is plenty of room for the French forward line to run into at the moment, and the newly-arrived Bradley Barcola might be literally licking his lips as he waltzes into the penalty area.

His eventual effort is tame, a bit of a double hit, and easily saved by Yassine Bounou.

Changes for both sides, with Malo Gusto coming on for France and Amine Sbai entering the game for Morocco.

Moroccans looking for a miracle

A

By Amanda Shalala

The Moroccan fans haven't given up yet, there are still some hopeful chants ringing around the stadium, desperate to at least have one goal to cheer for.

The French fans seem fairly relaxed though, they should have this in the bag.

83' Morocco with a couple chances from the dead ball

By Henry Hanson

Morocco don't particularly look like scoring one goal, let alone two, but the Atlas Lions have a chance from the dead ball, wide on the left.

Achraf Hakimi's low cross is worked away, but he'll have another go almost immediately, with a teammate hauled down off the ball.

This time, the set piece is much straighter and a long way out.

Hakimi opts against the shot, instead rolling it square to Azzedine Ounahi, who stings the palms of Mike Maignon.

It's a first shot on target of the game for Morocco.

The stars are finally coming out to play

A

By Amanda Shalala

Dembélé joining the party now!

After a pretty uninspiring first half overall, it's no surprise Les Blues have turned up the heat and are doing their best to put this game to bed.

77' Mbappé off for the final stages

By Henry Hanson

Kylian Mbappé's race is run.

The French superstar leaves the field having provided another golden moment in North America.

It's Jean-Philippe Mateta on in his place.

73' Nervy moment for France

By Henry Hanson

Morocco have no choice but to throw everything forward as we enter the game's final stanza, and the Atlas Lions go as close as they've gone for some time via the boot of French central defender Dayot Upamecano.

A tempting cross is worked in from the right and Upamecano gets in a bit of tangle getting the ball away, slicing his clearance over the bar and out for a corner.

The set-piece is easily defended.