Kylian Mbappe, after missing a penalty in the first half, guided France to a 2-0 victory over Morocco, securing their spot in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals. Mbappe, who scored his eighth goal of the tournament, later assisted Ousmane Dembele for his fifth goal, setting up a clash with either Belgium or Spain in the next round.
France displayed dominance early on, with Dayot Upamecano’s header testing Morocco’s goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou. The breakthrough came in the 60th minute when Mbappe elegantly curled the ball into the net from outside the box. Shortly after, he set up Dembele for a well-placed shot, extending France’s lead.
Mbappe’s goal marked his involvement in 101 goals for the French national team, comprising 64 goals and 37 assists. Dembele, on the other hand, joined Mbappe and Just Fontaine as the only French players to score five goals in a single World Cup edition. France, under Didier Deschamps’ guidance, secured their third consecutive World Cup semi-final appearance.
Deschamps acknowledged the missed penalty and praised Mbappe’s resilience, emphasizing the team’s satisfaction with their progress. The French side remains optimistic as they await their semi-final opponent.
