2026 World Cup/ France sink Morocco to reach semis
Kylian Mbappé overcame an early penalty miss to deliver a goal and an assist as France defeated Morocco 2-0 on Thursday to book a World Cup semifinal berth. Ousmane Dembélé also scored for Les Bleus, who will face Spain or Belgium in Dallas on Tuesday.
Mbappé’s 60th-minute strike marked his 20th World Cup goal, moving him within one of Lionel Messi’s all-time record of 21. Dembélé added his fifth of the tournament six minutes later.
France dominated from the outset, outshooting Morocco 21-4 overall and 8-1 on target.
The penalty drama unfolded in the 25th minute. Noussair Mazraoui fouled Mbappé in the box, prompting a quick penalty award from referee Facundo Tello.
After a lengthy video review, Mbappé stepped up but hesitated, allowing goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to dive correctly and save the low shot toward the right corner.
The miss did not rattle the French captain. In the 60th minute, Mbappé collected a pass, tapped it back for Dembélé, and cleverly drew defenders away to open space for the Barcelona winger to fire home.
Morocco’s best chance arrived just before halftime. Achraf Hakimi curled a free kick from outside the box narrowly past the right post.
France now stands on the brink of history. A semifinal victory would make them only the third nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals.
The Atlas Lions, who became Africa’s first semi-finalists in 2022, saw their campaign end despite a spirited display. France, however, demonstrated clinical efficiency and defensive solidity to progress.
