Kylian Mbappé continued his influential performance at the World Cup, scoring the opening goal and assisting another as France secured a 2-0 victory over Morocco to reach the semifinals. The French forward, considered by some to be the tournament's leading star, overcame a saved penalty in the first half to put his team ahead in the 60th minute. He then provided the assist for Ousmane Dembélé to double France's lead six minutes later.
Despite the pre-match ambition from the Moroccan fanbase, who had expressed hopes of reaching the final as reigning champions, their team appeared listless in attack. The notes described Morocco's performance as "leaden and lumpen," a stark contrast to their spirited run in the previous World Cup. Their defensive setup, characterized by a low block, showed less attacking intent than in previous matches, and their counter-attacking accuracy was criticized as "pitifully poor."
The match was disrupted by a lengthy VAR review before Mbappé's penalty, which lasted over three minutes, drawing frustration from the player and disrupting the game's flow. Mbappé's penalty miss, while notable, did not deter him from scoring France's crucial first goal.
Dembélé's second goal for France was highlighted as a moment of brilliance that suggested France could be more than just a one-man team, a concern raised due to Mbappé's significant impact. However, the article suggests that if France is to face Spain's defense in the upcoming semifinal, both Dembélé and Michael Olise will need to perform at a high level.
Morocco's journey in the tournament has concluded, but their aspirations to host the 2030 World Cup final remain. The nation is expected to lobby FIFA president Gianni Infantino for the hosting rights. For them to be consistent contenders, however, they will need to develop beyond relying on their European-based diaspora, with Real Madrid's Brahim Díaz being the primary exception in their recent performance.
France's next match will be against Spain in the semifinal. The team's starting lineup included Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Doue; and Mbappe. Morocco's lineup featured Bounou; Hakimi, Diop, Mazraoui, Salah-Eddine; Bouaddi, El Aynaoui; Diaz, Ounahi, Talbi; and El Khannouss.