France has reached the World Cup semi-finals after a 2-0 victory over Morocco. Kylian Mbappé scored the opening goal in the second half, and Ousmane Dembélé doubled the lead, securing France's place in the semi-final match against Spain or Belgium in Dallas.
The match remained goalless for 26 minutes, with Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou making key saves. Manchester United's Noussair Mazraoui fouled Mbappé in the penalty area, but the French forward's subsequent penalty was saved by Bounou. Mbappé later found the back of the net with a curling shot into the far corner, bringing his tournament total to eight goals. Dembélé then scored his fifth goal of the tournament with a long-range effort.
Morocco struggled to break down France's defense in the first half, recording an expected goals (xG) of 1.87 in the opening 45 minutes without scoring, the highest for a team failing to score in the first half of a World Cup match this summer. Despite this, France has now become the highest-scoring team in the tournament.
Spectators at the match included singer Shakira, who was seen blowing a kiss to the crowd on the big screen during the first half. She has been a regular attendee at the tournament with her children.
In other tournament news, questions remain about Belgium's starting lineup, particularly regarding Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku, who were benched in their previous match against the United States. Spain continues its impressive defensive record, having not conceded a goal in their last 10 World Cup games, a record for the tournament. They are set to face Belgium in a significant quarter-final match. Many consider a potential semi-final between France and Spain as a preview of the final, given the perceived strength of both teams. Other contenders for the title include England and Argentina.