New York : Kylian Mbappe scores his eighth goal of the tournament to inspire France to a comprehensive 2-0 World Cup quarter-final win over Morocco.
Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring France's first goal during the World Cup quarter-final at Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Thursday.
France beat Morocco 2-0 in the first quarter-final of the World Cup. Kylian Mbappe, who missed a penalty in the first half, put France ahead with his eighth goal of the tournament.
Ousmane Dembele made it 2-0. The 27-year-old Mbappe has 20 goals from 20 World Cup finals appearances.
France and Morocco were goalless at half-time. Mbappe's penalty kick in the 28th minute was saved by Yassine Bounou.
The quarter-final was a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, which France won 2-0.
Kylian Mbappe curls the ball past Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounouto's left to the far corner of the net for France's first goal.
France captain Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty but curled in a superb goal on the hour as France struck twice in six minutes to brush aside Morocco 2-0 on Thursday and book their spot in the World Cup semi-finals.
Mbappe, who at 27 became the youngest player to rack up 20 World Cup appearances, also bagged his 20th World Cup goal with a curling shot from just inside the box before Ousmane Dembele added another six minutes later with a low drive to set up a last-four meeting with Belgium or Spain.
Ousmane Dembele scores France's second goal.
Mbappe is the tournament's joint top scorer with eight goals, level with Lionel Messi, and he trails the Argentine by one goal in the World Cup all-time scoring list.
In a repeat of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, France looked the hungrier side throughout, with Morocco, aiming for a second straight last-four spot, badly missing injured striker Ismael Saibari and failing to get a shot on target until the 84th minute.
The French, bidding to become only the third nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals, started strongly with a couple of early chances.
Kylian Mbappe's shot from the penalty spot is saved by Yassine Bounou saves a penalty missed by France's Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe, who also equalled the all-time French record, held by Hugo Lloris for World Cup matches, had an early opportunity with a low drive that Morocco keeper Yassine Bounou managed to tip wide.
Both teams were initially cautious of not making an error that could end up costing them in a high-stakes match.
But France earned a 28th-minute penalty through Mbappe but Bounou calmly stood his ground, picked the correct side and smothered the France forward's low effort.
It was Mbappe's first penalty miss for the national team since Euro 2020.
Morocco's Noussair Mazraoui fouls France's Kylian Mbappe to concede a penalty.
The title favourites also hit the crossbar in first-half stoppage time through Lucas Digne's powerful 30-metre drive, while Morocco struggled to reach their opponents' box and did not have an effort on or off target in the first half.
Mbappe made amends for his miss on the hour mark with a quick look up and superb finish and before Morocco had time to recover they struck again through Dembele.
Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saves a header on goal from France's Dayot Upamecano early in the match.
IMAGE: Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saves a header on goal from France's Dayot Upamecano early in the match. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters
The forward, who forms a formidable frontline with Mbappe and Michael Olise, made use of the space opened up by Mbappe's run to rifle in their second goal and his fifth of the tournament.
"That’s three (semi-finals) in a row — it’s good," France coach Didier Deschamps said. "It seems logical and natural, but you still have to get the job done. It was tricky, the penalty... when it’s Kylian. He never has any doubts.
"But we’re exactly where we wanted to be," said Deschamps, who substituted Mbappe late in the game after a knock to his ankle.
"We’re taking another step forward today, finding ourselves in the final four once again. It shows we’re right there in the mix."
