France secured a spot in the World Cup semifinals after defeating Morocco 2-0, with second-half goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. The victory marks the second consecutive World Cup where France has eliminated Morocco.
Morocco employed a defensive strategy, aiming to limit scoring opportunities for France's key players, including Mbappé. Despite France's early offensive pressure, Morocco's defense held strong for much of the first half. France was awarded a penalty kick, but Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved Mbappé's attempt.
Second-Half Breakthrough
In the second half, Mbappé found the net, scoring his eighth goal of the tournament and giving France the lead. This goal opened up Morocco's defense as they sought an equalizer. Dembélé capitalized on this, scoring France's second goal in the 66th minute. His shot found the back of the net despite Bounou getting a hand to it.
With a two-goal lead, France managed the remainder of the match, preventing Morocco from mounting a comeback. Didier Deschamps' squad showcased its dominance throughout the tournament to advance.
France is now set to play in the semifinals on July 14 in Dallas. They will face the winner of the match between Spain and Belgium. Spain has not conceded a goal in the tournament thus far, while Belgium eliminated the US men's team to reach the quarterfinals.