France remain firmly in contention for the World Cup after a 2-0 quarter-final victory over Morocco secured their place in the last four.
Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring on the hour mark before setting up Ousmane Dembélé for France’s second goal six minutes later at Boston Stadium in Foxborough.
The result sends Didier Deschamps’ side into a third consecutive World Cup semi-final, following their triumph in 2018 and runners-up finish in Qatar four years later.
Morocco competed strongly for long periods and frustrated France during the first half, but Mbappé’s quality ultimately proved decisive.
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Mbappé denied from the penalty spot
France were handed an opportunity to take the lead in the 28th minute when Noussair Mazraoui was penalised for a foul on Mbappé.
The decision was followed by a lengthy VAR review, with officials also examining a possible earlier foul on Achraf Hakimi during the attacking move.
Mbappé was forced to wait more than three minutes before taking the penalty, allowing Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou time to prepare.
The former Sevilla goalkeeper guessed correctly and saved the France captain’s attempt, keeping the match level.
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Morocco gained confidence from the miss and enjoyed periods of possession, although they struggled to create clear chances against a well-organised French defence.
Mbappé breaks the deadlock
France finally found the breakthrough in the 60th minute.
Adrien Rabiot regained possession before the ball reached Mbappé outside the penalty area. The forward created enough space to bend a composed finish beyond Bounou and into the net.
The goal was reviewed following Moroccan appeals for a possible Rabiot handball in the build-up, but VAR found no reason to overturn the decision.
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According to CBS Sports’ match report, Mbappé’s goal changed the rhythm of the match and forced Morocco to become more adventurous.
That additional space quickly allowed France to strike again.
Dembélé seals French victory
Only six minutes after opening the scoring, Mbappé collected the ball in an advanced position and found Dembélé outside the area.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward took advantage of the space and fired past Bounou to double France’s lead.
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Morocco attempted to respond, but France controlled the remainder of the match and prevented Mohamed Ouahbi’s side from building sustained pressure.
The Atlas Lions managed only limited opportunities despite the individual quality of players such as Hakimi, Brahim Díaz and Ismaël Saibari.
France were also able to introduce fresh players from the bench, including Jean-Philippe Mateta and Warren Zaïre-Emery, without losing control of the contest.
Injury concern played down
Mbappé required treatment during the second half after suffering a knock to his ankle and was later replaced.
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He was pictured with ice wrapped around the area on the bench, raising initial concerns ahead of the semi-final.
However, both Mbappé and Deschamps played down the problem after the match and indicated that it was not considered serious.
The France captain said he had been able to continue but felt Mateta was better equipped to play the closing stages.
France will nevertheless monitor his condition closely before their next match.
France reach third successive semi-final
France have now reached the final four at each of the last three World Cups.
Deschamps led the country to the title in Russia in 2018 before France were beaten by Argentina on penalties in the 2022 final.
Their latest run has combined attacking quality with defensive control. Although France have not dominated every match, they have repeatedly found ways to manage decisive moments.
The victory over Morocco followed knockout wins built on similar patience and discipline.
Mbappé has once again been central to that success. His goal against Morocco took him to eight for the tournament, while his assist for Dembélé completed another decisive individual performance.
As confirmed by the official FIFA match centre, France’s 2-0 victory secured their place among the final four teams in the competition.
Their next challenge will determine whether this generation reaches a third successive World Cup final.
