France advances to World Cup semis after 2-0 win over Morocco; Paris peaceful, London clashes, teen dies in celebration

Match result

France beat Morocco 2-0 in the World Cup quarterfinal at Boston's Gillette Stadium, securing a semifinal spot. Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé each scored for Les Bleus, who have now won all six matches and scored 16 goals in the tournament. Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved an Mbappé penalty, but could not prevent the defeat. France, coached by Didier Deschamps, will now face the winner of the other quarterfinal.

Celebrations and security in France

French authorities prepared for potential violence, deploying 5,000 police officers in Paris after intelligence reports flagged the match as "at particular risk". The 2022 World Cup quarterfinal between the same teams had sparked urban guerrilla warfare in French cities, while celebrations after Morocco's win over Canada on July 4 had led to clashes in Toulouse, Belgium and the Netherlands. Fearing far-right provocations as well, police guarded the Champs-Élysées, Bastille and République areas. Despite the alarm, the evening ended with a "bon enfant" atmosphere, according to the interior ministry. Only a few isolated incidents were reported near Grenoble.

Pride for our Bleus. Congratulations to Morocco, immense adversary this evening as four years ago. France is in the semi-final with brio and fraternity.

French media hailed the performance: L'Équipe's front page read "Irresistibles", Le Figaro wrote "Les Bleus dévorent le Maroc", and Le Parisien praised the team's "force mentale, résilience et détermination". The Moroccan embassy in France and the French embassy in Rabat exchanged messages of respect, with the French mission noting that one team continues its dream while the other can be proud of an exceptional run.

Moroccan diaspora in Turin

In Turin's Barriera di Milano district, at least two hundred Moroccan fans watched the match on a stretched white sheet turned into an open-air cinema. At the final whistle, initial disappointment gave way to fireworks, smoke bombs and street parties that lasted past 1 a.m. Yassine, a fan in a red Morocco shirt, lamented "it went badly, we didn't play well". But the community quickly revived with music and football games. Nassa El Houcine, 35, who moved to Italy twenty years ago, said the team represented "our heroes" and that supporting them was a way to connect with roots.

When you win, you celebrate together, like Italy did in 2021.

The celebrations echoed earlier post-victory festivities that had caused traffic disruptions. Police had been called to Barriera in previous matches, but no serious incidents were reported this time.

Clashes in London

In central London, Moroccan fans clashed with police on Edgware Road following the match. One officer was injured and four people were arrested for violent disorder. Social media videos showed a crowd of dozens stationary, with individuals throwing bottles and other objects at police. The incident was the only major fan violence connected to the match, according to French media.

Fatal accident in northern France

In Aulnoye-Aymeries, a 17-year-old girl died after falling from a truck while celebrating the French victory. Firefighters said she was on the back of a truck that was not hitched to its trailer; she fell and was run over by the same vehicle. The driver was detained. One other minor was taken to hospital in shock.