Mbappé misses penalty then scores stunner as France beat Morocco 2-0 to reach World Cup semi-finals
Kylian Mbappé missed a first-half penalty but redeemed himself with a superb goal as France defeated Morocco 2-0 to book a World Cup semi-final place.
Penalty drama and Bounou's defiance
France earned a 28th-minute penalty when Noussair Mazraoui tripped Mbappé, but a VAR check lasting three minutes and 12 seconds delayed the kick. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, a penalty specialist, read Mbappé's stuttering run-up and comfortably held the tame sidefoot. It was Mbappé's first penalty miss for France since Euro 2020. Bounou had already denied Mbappé from 20 yards and tipped a Dayot Upamecano header wide, and he later pushed Lucas Digne's swerving 30-metre drive onto the crossbar in first-half stoppage time.
- Mbappé's penalty saved by Bounou after lengthy VAR check
- Lucas Digne's long-range shot tipped onto the crossbar by Bounou
- Mbappé curls a superb shot inside the far post to give France the lead
- Dembélé doubles the lead with a low drive after Mbappé's assist
Mbappé's moment of magic
On the hour mark, Mbappé made amends. Desire Doue, who had kept Achraf Hakimi quiet, fed the France captain on the edge of the box. With five Moroccan defenders within two yards, Mbappé took a touch to control, pushed the ball out of his feet, and whipped a curling shot that spun inside Bounou's far post. The goal was his eighth of the tournament, drawing him level with Lionel Messi as joint top scorer, and his 20th in World Cup finals, one behind Messi on the all-time list.
Dembele doubles the lead
Six minutes later, Mbappé turned provider, laying the ball back to Ousmane Dembélé as he surged from midfield. Dembélé advanced and bent a low drive past Mazraoui's legs and beyond Bounou, who might have done better. The goal, Dembélé's fifth of the tournament, extinguished any Moroccan hopes of a comeback.
Morocco's defensive gamble
Morocco, missing injured striker Ismael Saibari, set up to contain and offered almost no attacking threat. They failed to register a shot on or off target in the first half and did not force a save until the 84th minute. Their approach echoed the shape-shifting tactics that had frustrated Canada in the previous round, prompting Canada head coach Jesse Marsch to complain afterwards.
I'd rather be us than them.
Semi-final awaits
France, bidding to become only the third nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals, will face Belgium or Spain in the semi-final on Bastille Day in Dallas. Mbappé, who at 27 became the youngest player to reach 20 World Cup appearances, was substituted late on and seen with an ice pack on his right foot, but the precaution is not expected to rule him out.
