Mbappe shines as France beat Morocco to book World Cup semi-final
France booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals with a commanding 2-0 victory over Morocco, inspired once again by Kylian Mbappe. The captain bounced back from a first-half penalty miss to score the opener before setting up Ousmane Dembele as Didier Deschamps' side continued their march towards another final.
First-half dominance without reward
France seized control from the opening whistle and repeatedly threatened Morocco's defence. Mbappe forced Yassine Bounou into an early save before Dayot Upamecano headed narrowly wide from the resulting corner.
The biggest chance arrived in the 28th minute after Noussair Mazraoui fouled Mbappe inside the area. Following a lengthy VAR review, the Real Madrid forward stepped up but saw his tame penalty comfortably saved by Bounou, who further enhanced his outstanding World Cup record from the spot.
Despite the setback, France remained firmly on top. Desire Doue tested Bounou again before Lucas Digne rattled the crossbar with a fierce long-range effort. Morocco, missing injured forward Ismael Saibari, struggled to create openings and failed to register a single shot during the opening half.
Mbappe finally finds his moment
France's pressure eventually paid off on the hour mark. Doue slipped a clever pass into Mbappe, who opened his body and curled a superb finish into the far corner for his eighth goal of the tournament.
The lead doubled just six minutes later. Mbappe drifted into space before laying the ball into Dembele's path. The Ballon d'Or winner drove forward and fired a low shot beyond Bounou despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to the effort.
Morocco finally tested Mike Maignan in the closing stages, producing their only shot on target in the 84th minute. However, France comfortably protected their clean sheet and never looked in danger of surrendering control.
Numbers underline France's superiority
The statistics reflected France's complete dominance. Les Bleus finished with 22 shots compared to Morocco's five, while also leading 8-1 in shots on target. They generated 1.87 expected goals before half-time alone despite failing to score before the interval.
France have now netted 16 goals in six matches, the highest total at the tournament. Morocco, meanwhile, managed only one shot on target throughout the contest after spending most of the evening pinned inside their own half.
Mbappe's contribution also carried historical significance. His 20th World Cup goal moved him within one of Lionel Messi's all-time tournament record while taking his tally to eight goals and three assists at this edition. He also became the youngest player to reach 20 World Cup appearances at just 27 years old.
Mbappe leads another statement victory
Although the missed penalty briefly threatened to frustrate France, Mbappe responded like a world-class leader. His stunning strike shifted momentum completely before his assist effectively ended Morocco's resistance. Dembele continued his impressive tournament with his fifth goal, while Doue impressed throughout with his creativity. At the opposite end, Bounou produced several excellent saves despite ending up on the losing side.
What's next?
France will face either Spain or Belgium in Tuesday's semi-final in Dallas as they chase a third consecutive World Cup final appearance. Morocco's memorable campaign ends in the last eight, but the Atlas Lions leave the tournament having once again demonstrated their growing strength on the world stage.