Tuesday, July 14Tuesday, July 14
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France reach World Cup semi-finals with 2-0 win over Morocco
France reach World Cup semi-finals with 2-0 win over Morocco
France booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals on Thursday night with a commanding 2-0 victory over Morocco at Gillette Stadium in Boston, setting up a blockbuster quarter-final clash with either Spain or Belgium on Tuesday. Kylian Mbappé, who moved within one goal of the all-time World Cup scoring record, struck the decisive blows as Les Bleus extended their unbeaten run to 18 matches under Didier Deschamps .
Mbappé opened the scoring in the 60th minute with a curling effort past Yassine Bounou, then doubled the lead six minutes later when Ousmane Dembélé converted after Mbappé’s shot was parried. The French captain’s strike took his tournament tally to eight goals, leaving him just one behind Just Fontaine’s 68-year-old record of 13 goals in a single World Cup edition . “Mbappé is in a league of his own,” wrote France 24’s World Cup debrief. “His movement, his composure, his finishing—Morocco had no answer” .
The victory capped a dominant display in which Morocco managed just one shot on target, with Mbappé’s 28th-minute penalty saved by Bounou after a VAR review upheld the foul on Noussair Mazraoui. France’s defensive structure, anchored by William Saliba and Aurélien Tchouaméni, stifled Morocco’s creative outlets, while Mbappé and Dembélé combined incisively to expose the Atlas Lions’ high line .
The win means France will face the winner of Friday’s quarter-final between Spain and Belgium, a tie that has already produced its own narrative. Belgium, despite internal tensions between Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois, rallied from 2-0 down to beat Senegal on penalties, with Romelu Lukaku—despite limited minutes for Napoli this season—scoring twice and mediating between feuding teammates . “This group has learned to fight together,” said manager Rudi Garcia. “The table can be turned, and that’s what we saw.”
Spain, meanwhile, remain the only team yet to concede a goal in the tournament, a streak that has seen them deploy an aggressive high press with devastating effect. Their quarter-final opponents will be determined by a tense encounter in which Belgium, despite their recent fragility, are seen as potential dark horses .
The semi-final draw has intensified scrutiny on Mbappé’s pursuit of Fontaine’s record, with Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Norway’s Erling Haaland also on eight goals apiece. Messi could equal the tally if Argentina beat Switzerland on Sunday, while Haaland has seven and faces England in the quarter-finals .
Off the pitch, France’s victory has been met with celebrations in Paris and Lyon, though unrest in London and Amsterdam following Morocco’s elimination has again raised concerns about fan behaviour. In The Hague, 29 people were arrested after clashes in the Schilderswijk district, with police citing a history of ethnic profiling and mutual distrust . Dutch politicians, including Deputy Prime Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, have condemned “unacceptable” behaviour regardless of results .
As France prepare for their semi-final, the focus will be on whether Mbappé can surpass Fontaine’s record and whether Deschamps’ side can finally end their 24-year wait for a World Cup title. For now, Les Bleus are the team to beat.
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