Kylian Mbappé scored his eighth goal of the World Cup and provided an assist as France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals on Thursday, advancing to the semifinals for the third consecutive tournament. Ousmane Dembélé also scored for the two-time champions.
Despite a late ankle scare, Mbappé stated he is fine. "I took a knock to the ankle, but I’m fine," he said. He left the game in the 76th minute after being injured approximately 13 minutes prior, but was later seen celebrating with teammates on the bench.
Mbappé's goal in the 60th minute marked his 20th career World Cup goal in his 20th match, drawing him closer to Lionel Messi's record. Dembélé added France's second goal in the 66th minute.
France will face either Spain or Belgium in the semifinals. The team is on track to become the third nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals, a feat previously accomplished by Brazil and West Germany.
"There’s only one way to relax, and that’s by winning. Until we’ve done that, we don’t let up," Mbappé said. "We’re in the semifinals and we’re very happy, but there’s still a long way to go." He added, "We realize that what lies ahead is even tougher than what we’ve been through, but we’re ready to face anything."
Coach Didier Deschamps attributed the team's sustained success to "having great players. Excellent players." He added, "The only truth is the one on the pitch."
Mbappé's goal came after Morocco failed to clear the ball, with the striker placing a shot inside the far post. France's second goal was set up by Mbappé, who drew defenders away to create space for Dembélé's shot.
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi expressed disappointment, noting his team's struggles with transitions when in possession and that French players were "in their comfort zone." Morocco's best chance came just before halftime from a free kick by Achraf Hakimi.
France held a significant advantage in shots on goal throughout the match, with 21 to Morocco's 4. Mbappé had an opportunity to score from the penalty spot in the first half, but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou after a lengthy video review.