France beats Morocco 2-0 to reach World Cup semifinals

France secured a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinals, advancing to the semifinals for the third consecutive tournament. Goals from Kylian Mbappé (60') and Ousmane Dembélé (66') sealed the win, despite Mbappé missing a first-half penalty saved by Yassine Bounou. Source: eldiado

Mbappé's redemption

Mbappé, who earlier failed to convert from the spot, opened the scoring with a precise finish in the 60th minute, his eighth goal of the tournament, tying Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot lead. Source: elcaribedr He later assisted Dembélé's goal, showcasing his decisive impact. Source: hoydo

Morocco's struggle

Morocco, missing injured top scorer Ismael Saibari, struggled to create chances. Some sources criticized their passive approach, noting they failed to test French goalkeeper Mike Maignan until late in the match. Source: abces; elconfidencial Others argued they tried to play on the front foot but lacked sharpness in attack. Source: elmundoes Bounou made several saves to keep Morocco in the game, but the team could not replicate their 2022 semifinal heroics. Source: lavanguardia

What's next

France will face either Spain or Belgium in the semifinals. Source: euronewses The team has not conceded in three knockout matches and remains a strong contender for the title. Source: portafolioco