Kylian Mbappe missed a first-half penalty before bouncing back into the game with a brilliant curling goal to send France into the World Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Morocco on Thursday.
Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved Mbappe’s weak spot-kick in the first half before the French fan-favourite made up for it on the hour mark, controlling the ball just outside the box, using Issa Diop as a screen, and curling a superb finish into the net. It was his eighth goal of the tournament, drawing him level with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race.
Mbappe left the pitch late in the match with an ice pack around his right ankle, but not before setting up Ousmane Dembele for the second goal. Dembele curled a low shot into the corner in the 66th minute, with Bounou getting a hand to it but failing to keep it out. The goal came in front of 63,811 fans at Gillette Stadium.
France eliminated Morocco at the same stage they did in 2022, though that meeting came in the semi-finals. This time, the win sends Les Bleus into the last four, where they will face the winner of Spain and Belgium in Dallas next Tuesday.
Coach Didier Deschamps is chasing a third consecutive World Cup final in what will be his last tournament in charge. France won the title in 2018 and finished runners-up in 2022. Against Morocco, they kept a third clean sheet in as many knockout games and looked comfortable throughout, with Morocco unable to create clear chances without the injured Ismael Saibari.
Mbappe has now scored in every round of this World Cup. He scored twice against Senegal and Iraq in the group stage, added another against Sweden in the last 32, and scored the only goal from the penalty spot against Paraguay in the previous round. His tally stands at 20 goals in 20 World Cup appearances, one behind Messi’s record of 21.
The penalty came in the 25th minute after Noussair Mazraoui brought Mbappe down during a fast break. Argentinian referee Facundo Tello awarded the spot-kick immediately, though a video review followed to check for a foul on Moroccan captain Achraf Hakimi earlier in the move. Mbappe’s resulting penalty was saved comfortably by Bounou, who had earlier tipped a Desire Doue shot around the post in the first half. Lucas Digne also struck the crossbar from a distance before the break.
The goal against Morocco took Mbappe to 64 international goals in 104 appearances for France.
Dembele, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, now has five goals at this World Cup.
With Morocco eliminated, three other quarter-finals remain to complete the semi-final lineup. Spain face Belgium in Los Angeles, while Norway take on England in Miami and Argentina meet Switzerland in Kansas City. The winners will join France in the last four.
France will face the winner of Spain and Belgium in Arlington, while the winner of Norway and England will meet the winner of Argentina and Switzerland in Atlanta.
The semi-finals take place on 14 and 15 July, with the final scheduled for 19 July.
