Kylian Mbappé played a pivotal role as France secured a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the World Cup quarter-finals on Thursday, advancing to the semi-finals. Mbappé contributed both a goal and an assist, despite missing a first-half penalty. The match took place in Dallas, with France set to face either Spain or Belgium in Tuesday’s semi-final.
Mbappé’s goal in the 60th minute marked his 20th World Cup goal, achieved in his 20th appearance at the tournament, bringing him just one behind Argentina captain Lionel Messi’s record. His strike followed a sequence where Morocco failed to clear the ball effectively, allowing Mbappé to control it outside the penalty area and tuck a precise shot inside the far post.
Shortly after Mbappé’s goal, Ousmane Dembélé scored France’s second in the 66th minute, his fifth of the tournament. The goal developed after Mbappé received a pass and laid it off for Dembélé, who capitalized on the space created as France’s lead attacker drew defenders away. France dominated the match statistically, registering 21 shots compared to Morocco’s four, and holding an 8-1 edge in shots on target.
Mbappé sustained an ankle injury in the 76th minute after being fouled and was substituted a minute later. He was seen with an ice pack on the bench but later celebrated energetically alongside teammates.
The contest also featured a penalty awarded to France in the 25th minute when Mbappé was fouled in the box by Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui. After an extended video review, Mbappé’s penalty attempt was saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. This was Mbappé’s second penalty effort of the tournament; he previously scored the match-winning penalty against Paraguay in the round of 16. Despite the miss, France remained dominant offensively, especially in the first half where they held a 13-1 advantage in shots on goal.
Morocco’s best chance came just before halftime, when Achraf Hakimi’s free kick from outside the box narrowly missed the target. Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi expressed disappointment, noting that the team struggled with transitions despite having periods of possession and that French players appeared comfortable throughout the match.
This victory echoes France’s previous 2-0 win over Morocco in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, when Morocco became the first African nation to reach that stage. France continues on course to become the third country to reach three consecutive World Cup finals.