France booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals with a comfortable 2–0 win over Morocco on Thursday, powered by a standout performance from Kylian Mbappé.
Mbappé recovered from an early setback, having his first-half penalty saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, to open the scoring just after the hour mark with a superb curling finish. The goal took his tally to eight in the tournament, drawing him level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.
Before being substituted late in the match with a minor ankle issue, Mbappé also played a key role in France’s second goal. His assist allowed Ousmane Dembélé to seal the victory with a composed finish in the 66th minute.
France, who also defeated Morocco in the 2022 semi-finals, were in control for much of the game despite strong first-half resistance from Bounou. The result sends Les Bleus into another semi-final, where they will face either Spain or Belgium in Dallas.
Didier Deschamps’ side, winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, continue their strong World Cup run as they chase a third consecutive final appearance.
Morocco, backed by a lively crowd, struggled in attack, particularly in the absence of injured forward Ismael Saibari. Despite the loss, their young squad showed promise and is expected to remain competitive ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which they will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
France have now kept three straight clean sheets in the knockout stages, underlining their strength as serious title contenders once again.
