Mbappe Stars as France Beats Morocco 2-0 to Reach World Cup Semifinals: Can Anyone Stop Les Bleus Now?

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Kylian Mbappe overcame a missed first-half penalty to score a spectacular second-half goal and set up another as France defeated Morocco 2-0 on Thursday at Gillette Stadium, sending the two-time champions into their third consecutive World Cup semifinal and raising fresh questions about whether anyone remaining in the tournament can stop them.

France dominated from the opening whistle, holding a 13-1 advantage in shots on goal during the first half alone. Mbappe had an early effort saved by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, while defender Dayot Upamecano should have scored from close range on a header that went unconverted. Mbappe then earned a penalty after being brought down in the box by Noussair Mazraoui, but following a lengthy VAR review lasting more than three minutes, he sent a tame attempt down the middle that Bounou saved comfortably. Morocco's best chance of the half came just before halftime, when Achraf Hakimi's free kick from just outside the box narrowly missed the post.

France came out considerably more direct after the break, and the pressure finally paid off in the 60th minute when Mbappe curled a brilliant right-footed effort from the edge of the area past Bounou for his eighth goal of the tournament. Six minutes later, France doubled its advantage when Mbappe received the ball, tapped it back for Ousmane Dembele, and continued his run forward to drag defenders out of position, opening space for the Paris Saint-Germain forward to steer a low finish into the bottom corner. By the final whistle, France held a commanding 21-4 edge in total shots and an 8-1 advantage in shots on target for the match.

Mbappe's night included a brief injury scare. He went down in the 76th minute, roughly 13 minutes after being struck hard by a Moroccan defender, and was substituted a minute later, later seen on the bench with an ice pack wrapped around his right ankle. Despite the scare, Mbappe was able to join his teammates for the postgame celebrations with both shoes on, running and jumping alongside them, a strong indication he is unlikely to miss France's semifinal.

Speaking after the match, Mbappe reflected on his response to the missed penalty and the team's continued focus heading into the semifinal round. "There's only one way to relax, and that's by winning. Until we've done that, we don't let up," Mbappe said. "We're in the semifinals and we're very happy, but there's still a long way to go." Looking ahead to France's next opponent, he added, "We realize that what lies ahead is even tougher than what we've been through, but we're ready to face anything."

Dembele, who has now scored five goals of his own this tournament, offered praise for his captain's response after the missed spot kick. "He's our captain and he has an incredible mentality," Dembele said. "We're expecting even more goals from him."

Mbappe's goal carried additional significance in the tournament's broader scoring race. The strike marked the 20th World Cup goal of his career, coming in his 20th career World Cup match, and moved him to within one goal of Argentina captain Lionel Messi's all-time tournament scoring record, with the two continuing to push each other atop this year's Golden Boot standings as well. His only other penalty attempt at this year's tournament came in France's 1-0 Round of 16 win over Paraguay, a spot kick he converted successfully.

For Morocco, the loss brings an end to a tournament run that had generated significant hope both within the country and across the wider African continent. The Atlas Lions had already made history by becoming the first African nation to qualify for the World Cup quarterfinals in consecutive tournaments, building on the team's historic run to the semifinals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Thursday's match marked a rematch of that 2022 semifinal, which France had also won. Despite entering Thursday's quarterfinal with some believing Morocco could pose a serious threat to France's hopes of reaching a third straight final, the Atlas Lions were unable to generate sustained pressure against a France side that controlled the match from start to finish.

With the win, France advances to face the winner of Friday's quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium, scheduled for 3 p.m. Eastern time in Los Angeles. That semifinal matchup is set to take place Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. Should France advance past that stage as well, the team would have the opportunity to join Brazil and West Germany as the only nations in World Cup history to reach three consecutive finals.

Thursday's match also unfolded against the backdrop of broader controversy surrounding officiating decisions at this year's tournament, with several teams, most notably Egypt following its Round of 16 loss to Argentina, raising concerns about inconsistencies in the use of the video assistant referee system. Argentine official Facundo Tello oversaw Thursday's France-Morocco match, though the contest itself proceeded without any comparably contentious officiating disputes, given France's clear dominance throughout.

Mbappe has also found himself at the center of an unrelated controversy in recent days, following racist remarks directed at him by a Paraguayan senator in the aftermath of France's earlier win over Paraguay in the Round of 16. Mbappe has publicly condemned the comments, and the situation had continued generating discussion around the tournament heading into Thursday's quarterfinal.

With France's semifinal spot now secured and Mbappe expected to be available barring any unexpected setback with his ankle, attention across the tournament turns to Friday's quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium to determine France's next opponent. Having now outscored opponents 19-3 across seven matches this tournament while conceding only three goals, France enters the semifinal round as one of the clear favorites to lift the trophy, leaving rival nations and analysts alike weighing whether any of the tournament's remaining contenders possess the attacking firepower and defensive discipline needed to finally slow down Didier Deschamps' relentless squad.