Mbappé Leads France to Another Semi-Final
France have reached the FIFA World Cup semi-finals for the third consecutive tournament after a commanding 2-0 victory over Morocco, with Kylian Mbappé once again proving the difference on the biggest stage.
Morocco stared at the game without Ismail Saibari and Chadi Riad, as both players were ruled out due to injury concerns. The absence of these players was a huge blow to the team in buildup and counterattack. Morocco failed to deliver a quality fight to France in the crucial game, which led to French domination in Boston.
Bounou Keeps Morocco Alive Before the Break
In the first half, France dominated the ball and created multiple chances to score, but Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou denied them multiple times, including Mbappé's poorly taken penalty. Morocco struggled to create any attacking threat before the interval, failing to register a single shot as France controlled possession and territory.
France Take Complete Control After Half-Time
France raised the tempo after the break and quickly found the breakthrough through Mbappé, whose composed finish redeemed his earlier penalty miss. He also provided the assist for the second goal scored by Ousman Dembélé. Mbappé raised his tournament tally to 8 goals and 3 assists from 6 matches.
Michael Olise remained as the team’s creative heartbeat throughout the match, while Manu Koné orchestrated the midfield from the deep. In the absence of Tchouaméni, France defended counterattacks elegantly with solid defensive awareness of midfield and defense.
Morocco Miss Key Stars in Defeat
Morocco never matched the intensity or tactical discipline they had shown earlier in the tournament, with the absence of Ismail Saibari and Chadi Riad clearly affecting their structure in both attack and defense.
France Await Spain or Belgium
France will face the winners of Spain vs. Belgium in the semifinal in Dallas on Wednesday.