France showcased their relentless style of play, proving to be a formidable force. Although Morocco entered with ambitions to challenge the team that defeated them in the Qatar semi-final, they quickly found themselves on the defensive. France’s pressing game compelled Morocco to retreat, and their attacking prowess made mere survival impossible.
Kylian Mbappé emerged as the standout performer once more, having missed a penalty but later delivering a spectacular opening goal and assisting Ousmane Dembélé for the second. He exited the match to a well-deserved ovation with 13 minutes left, just as Morocco appeared to be finding their footing. His unexpected strike broke the deadlock, energizing the French side.
What strategy can effectively counter France’s dominance? Even with solid defensive organization, relentless tackling, and a goalkeeper making several crucial saves, one of France’s forwards can still produce a moment of magic. Perhaps concerns linger about whether France can maintain this level of performance, but if they do, they could very well secure their third World Cup title in 28 years.
In the first half, it seemed inevitable that France would score. After Mbappé was fouled by Noussair Mazraoui in the box, a penalty was awarded. However, the wait for the VAR check and for goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to return to his line lasted an inexplicably long three minutes and ten seconds. This delay may have affected Mbappé’s composure; his penalty was weakly struck to Bounou’s left, which the keeper saved easily. Notably, this was Bounou’s first successful penalty save for Morocco outside of shootouts.
Despite Bounou’s efforts to deny Dayot Upamecano and save a shot from Doué, as well as Lucas Digne hitting the woodwork, France could not find the net. By the time Morocco attempted their first shot— a free kick that went wide in added time— the French team had already amassed 13 attempts.
The fluid rhythm that had characterized France’s earlier matches appeared somewhat diminished. However, coach Didier Deschamps has not reverted to the overly cautious tactics that marked much of his tenure. Although some crosses were overhit and chances were squandered, they resembled the West Germany team of 1990: a squad of undeniable talent that initially dazzled but had to grind through the knockout stages.
Like that West Germany side, France is capable of battling through adversity. Mbappé, despite his earlier missed penalty attempt, remained unfazed. After an hour of play, a loose clearance was headed down to Digne, who found Mbappé in the box. What seemed like a limited opportunity turned into brilliance as Mbappé used Issa Diop as a shield, striking the ball with precision past the defender and inside the post. His shot, recorded at about 98 kilometers per hour, was an extraordinary, unsavable finish.
With Ismael Saibari sidelined, Chemsdine Talbi was brought in on the left for Morocco, while Bilal El Khannouss shifted to the center. The expectation was for Talbi to challenge Jules Koundé, similar to how Sofiane Boufal had four years prior. However, he had little opportunity to do so, primarily focusing on tracking Koundé’s advances from the right.
As France’s pressing game took hold, it became evident that Morocco’s path to the semi-finals relied on holding firm and hoping for a penalty shootout. Once France broke through, the second goal quickly followed. Again, a defender obstructed Bounou’s view as Dembélé aimed for the bottom corner. Although the keeper managed to get a hand to the shot, he could not prevent the goal.
This performance by France was highly impressive. In the closing moments, they were able to substitute players to keep them rested for their next challenge, which will be against either Spain or Belgium in Dallas. Stopping them will be a significant task.
- World Cup 2026
- France
- Morocco football team
- World Cup
- Kylian Mbappé
- match reports
