France defeats Morocco 2-0 to reach World Cup semifinal

France advanced to its third consecutive FIFA World Cup semifinal with a 2-0 victory over Morocco in a quarterfinal match played on Thursday, July 9, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The win, a repeat of the 2-0 scoreline from their 2022 semifinal meeting, was secured by second-half goals from captain Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, though it was later overshadowed by an injury concern for the French star.

France dominated the match from the outset, creating numerous chances against a resolute Moroccan defense. The first major opportunity came in the 28th minute when Mbappé won a penalty after being fouled by Noussair Mazraoui. Following a lengthy video review, the French captain saw his effort from the spot comfortably saved by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. It was Mbappé's first penalty miss for the national team since 2020 and made him only the second French player to miss an in-game penalty at a World Cup. Morocco held firm until halftime, with France's Lucas Digne also hitting the crossbar in stoppage time.

The deadlock was finally broken on the hour mark. Receiving a pass on the edge of the area, Mbappé curled a superb right-footed strike into the top...