France beats Morocco 2-0 to reach World Cup semifinals
France booked their place in the World Cup semifinals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco on Thursday at the Gillette Stadium outside Boston. Kylian Mbappé scored one goal and created another, continuing his standout tournament with his eighth goal of the competition.
The win sends the 2018 champions into a last-four showdown against either Spain or Belgium in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday. France have now reached the semifinals for the third consecutive World Cup, a feat that underscores their consistency at the highest level.
Coverage comparison
The match was widely covered across international outlets, with most reports focusing on France's clinical performance and Morocco's spirited but ultimately unsuccessful campaign. Africa News highlighted the fan reaction, noting Moroccan supporters expressed both disappointment and pride in their team's run. Al Jazeera's coverage included multiple angles: one piece emphasized France's dominance and the Moroccan fans' grudging admiration for Mbappé, while another detailed Morocco's failure to register a shot on goal until late in the match. A separate Al Jazeera report took a forward-looking view, discussing Morocco's prospects as cohosts of the 2030 World Cup.
AllAfrica framed the result within the broader narrative of African football's growth, describing Morocco's journey as a "remarkable" and "memorable chapter" in the continent's football history. France 24 — English provided match details and noted Morocco's lack of attacking threat in the first half.
Key claims
- France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals, with Kylian Mbappé scoring one goal and creating another.
- Morocco failed to register a single shot on goal until the 83rd minute, when Azzedine Ounahi's free-kick was saved by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
- France's next opponent in the semifinals will be either Spain or Belgium.
- Morocco fans expressed disappointment but pride in their team's campaign, with some openly accepting membership offers to the Kylian Mbappé fan club after the match.
- Morocco will cohost the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain and are therefore already qualified for that tournament.
Morocco's campaign and future
Morocco's World Cup journey ended in the quarterfinals, a repeat of their 2022 semifinal loss to France but still a historic run. They became the first African nation to reach successive quarterfinals, having eliminated the Netherlands in the previous round. The team showed resilience throughout the tournament, according to AllAfrica, building on their status as a leading standard bearer for African football.
Morocco's coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, who took over just three months before the finals, commented on the team's performance after the loss. "We have a young team who want to grow, who will continue to do so. We have talented players who will enable us to grow," he said. Morocco will now look ahead to the 2030 World Cup, which they will cohost, giving them a clear target for the next cycle.
Mbappé's decisive impact
Mbappé was the difference maker, as reported by multiple sources. After seeing a first-half penalty saved by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, he curled a brilliant right-foot shot into the far corner in the 60th minute to break the deadlock. Six minutes later, he turned provider for Ousmane Dembélé, who doubled France's lead with a low strike from the edge of the area.
France's victory was built on control and pressure. They dominated much of the opening half, and although they struggled to find a breakthrough before halftime, the relentless pressure eventually paid off. Morocco were limited in their attacking output, with no shots on target until the late free-kick.
The win also raised questions about Mbappé's fitness heading into the semifinal, as he left the pitch with ice strapped to his ankle before rejoining his teammates for celebrations, according to one report.