​France secured their spot in the World Cup semi-finals for the third straight tournament with a composed and commanding 2-0 victory over Morocco in Boston on Thursday, repeating the 2022 knockout-stage matchup between the two nations. From start to finish, Didier Deschamps’ side looked the superior side, firing 22 attempts to Morocco’s five and generating an expected goals tally of 3.04 to 0.14 for the Atlas Lions. Those numbers underscored a night in which France largely dictated the play and controlled the tempo throughout.
Yet despite that dominance, the opening 45 minutes finished goalless. Kylian Mbappe’s penalty—his record-equalling 20th World Cup appearance for France—was saved by Yassine Bounou before the break, a miss that even Deschamps later suggested may have unsettled his captain due to an unusual delay before the spot kick.
Mbappe would, however, make amends in emphatic fashion after the hour mark. He collected the ball just inside the box, steadied himself, and curled a precise finish into the far corner to notch his eighth goal of the tournament and his 20th in World Cup football overall, moving level with Lionel Messi in the all-time standings.
Six minutes later, the game was put beyond Morocco’s reach. Mbappe turned provider, feeding Ousmane Dembele, who charged at a retreating Moroccan defense and fired a low shot beyond Yassine Bounou to register his fifth goal of the competition.
Morocco’s run as the last African side remaining in the tournament came to an end, a pacey reminder of their remarkable run that included a quarter-final appearance in 2022. For France, the semi-final opponents will be determined by Friday’s clash between Spain and Belgium.
As for the players’ minutes, the match logged 90 for most participants, with contributions across the board helping to seal a match that reflected France’s consistent quality and Morocco’s stern resistance before the late decisive moments. The result leaves Deschamps’ side on course to defend their title and pursue a second successive final, while Morocco can take pride in their continued progression on the global stage as they look to build on this memorable campaign.