France booked their place in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals with a convincing 2-0 victory over Morocco in a quarter-final clash on Thursday, ending the Atlas Lions’ impressive tournament run.
After a tightly contested first half, France broke the deadlock in the 60th minute through Kylian Mbappé, whose moment of brilliance finally unlocked Morocco’s disciplined defence. Just six minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé doubled the advantage to put Les Bleus firmly in control.
Morocco, who had impressed throughout the tournament with resilient performances and memorable victories, struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a well-organised French side. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou produced several important saves to keep his team in the contest, including denying Mbappé from the penalty spot, but France’s relentless pressure eventually proved decisive.
France dominated the match, creating numerous chances while maintaining defensive discipline to preserve another clean sheet. Didier Deschamps’ side controlled the tempo for long periods, with Mbappé once again delivering when it mattered most before setting up Dembélé to seal the victory.
The result sends the two-time world champions into the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the quarter-final between Spain and Belgium. Morocco exit the competition with their heads held high after another historic World Cup campaign that showcased the continued rise of African football on the global stage.