France booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Morocco 2-0 in a thrilling quarter-final clash at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Thursday night.

Goals from captain Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele within six second-half minutes proved decisive as Didier Deschamps’ men ended Morocco’s remarkable campaign and kept alive their hopes of winning a third World Cup title.

The victory sends France into a third consecutive World Cup semi-final and underlines their status as one of the favourites to lift the trophy in the United States. Blueprint reports

Morocco frustrate France early on

Backed by a passionate crowd, Morocco started brightly and succeeded in frustrating the French attack during the opening exchanges.

France, however, came close to taking the lead in the first half after being awarded a penalty, but Mbappe saw his effort saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou after a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review delayed the kick by more than three minutes.

The missed opportunity gave Morocco renewed confidence as the Atlas Lions continued to defend resolutely and looked dangerous on the counterattack.

Despite enjoying long spells of possession, Morocco struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a disciplined French backline marshalled by Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate.

Mbappe breaks the deadlock

After an evenly contested first half, France finally found the breakthrough in the 60th minute.

Mbappe, who had been heavily marked throughout the encounter, produced a moment of brilliance, curling an unstoppable effort beyond Bounou to hand Les Bleus a deserved lead.

The goal was Mbappe’s eighth of the tournament, drawing him level with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. It also took his World Cup tally to 20 goals in just 20 appearances for France.

The strike further cemented the Real Madrid star’s reputation as one of the most decisive players on the global stage.

Dembele seals the victory

France doubled their advantage six minutes later when Ousmane Dembele found the back of the net in the 66th minute.

The Paris Saint-Germain winger finished calmly after being picked out by Mbappe, sending French supporters into wild celebrations and effectively putting the game beyond Morocco’s reach.

The two quick goals proved to be the turning point of the contest as Morocco struggled to recover from the setback.

France eventually finished the match with 21 shots compared to Morocco’s four, highlighting the dominance of the former world champions despite the spirited resistance of the African side.

Controversy over Mbappe’s goal

The match was not without controversy as Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi questioned the legitimacy of Mbappe’s opener. fifa.com

The Moroccan tactician claimed there had been a handball in the build-up to the goal and expressed disappointment that the incident was not reviewed by VAR.

“There definitely was a handball,” Ouahbi reportedly said after the match, although he admitted that France deserved to progress based on their overall performance.

The incident has reignited debates about consistency in officiating and the use of VAR at the tournament.

End of the road for Morocco

Despite the defeat, Morocco bowed out of the tournament with their heads held high after another memorable World Cup campaign.

The Atlas Lions had become the only African nation to reach the quarter-finals of the expanded 48-team tournament after impressive victories over the Netherlands and co-hosts Canada in the previous rounds.

Their performances once again demonstrated the growing strength and competitiveness of African football on the world stage.

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi praised his players for their commitment and expressed optimism about the future, especially with the country set to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.

France march on

For France, attention now turns to the semi-finals, where they will face either Spain or Belgium in their bid to reach another World Cup final.

Coach Didier Deschamps commended his side’s patience and composure, particularly Mbappe’s ability to recover from his first-half penalty miss and inspire the team to victory.

There was, however, a slight concern for the French camp after Mbappe appeared to suffer a minor ankle problem late in the game before being substituted. Initial reports, however, suggested the injury was not serious.

As Les Bleus continue their march towards another world title, Morocco’s brave journey may have ended, but the Atlas Lions have once again earned the admiration of football fans across Africa and beyond. (Blueprint)