Kha Y Tran France reached the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals after beating Morocco 2-0. Les Bleus controlled the match from the opening whistle. Although they wasted several chances before halftime, Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé scored after the break. As a result, France advanced to a third straight World Cup semifinal.
Watch the match highlights at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfo49ZbV4WU
France Take Control Early
France started the match with confidence. Didier Deschamps picked an attacking lineup led by Kylian Mbappé. Meanwhile, Morocco hoped to produce another surprise.
Les Bleus dominated possession from the first minute. They pushed Morocco deep into its own half. In addition, they created several dangerous chances.
Mbappé almost scored inside five minutes. However, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made an excellent save. Moments later, Dayot Upamecano also tested Bounou. Once again, the Moroccan goalkeeper reacted quickly.
Although France stayed on top, Morocco slowly settled into the game. The Atlas Lions defended with more discipline. Therefore, France found fewer clear chances.
France appeared to have the upper hand against Morocco in the opening minutes (Photo: Reuters)
Bounou Keeps Morocco Alive
France continued to attack. Eventually, the pressure paid off. In the 28th minute, Mbappé burst into the penalty area. Noussair Mazraoui brought him down, and the referee awarded a penalty after a VAR review.
Mbappé stepped up with confidence. However, his effort lacked power. Bounou guessed correctly and made another important save.
The missed penalty gave Morocco hope. Even so, France remained the better side.
Desire Doué nearly opened the scoring after winning the ball in midfield. Nevertheless, Bounou denied him with another strong save.
Just before halftime, Lucas Digne fired a powerful shot from distance. This time, the goalkeeper was beaten. However, the crossbar kept Morocco level.
France finished the first half with 13 shots. Even so, the score remained 0-0.
Upamecano’s close-range finish denied by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (Photo: Reuters)
Mbappé Breaks the Deadlock
Morocco began the second half with more energy. They pressed higher and tried to attack. However, France quickly regained control.
The breakthrough finally came in the 60th minute.
Mbappé collected the ball outside the box. Then he curled a brilliant shot into the far corner. Bounou had no chance to stop it.
The goal changed the game immediately. France looked more relaxed. Meanwhile, Morocco had to push forward.
Mbappé also made up for his earlier penalty miss. Instead of losing confidence, he responded with a world-class finish.
Mbappe’s spectacular opening goal (Photo: Reuters)
Dembélé Seals the Victory
France doubled the lead only six minutes later.
The move started with a quick counterattack. Dembélé raced forward from midfield before shooting from outside the penalty area.
His effort clipped the inside of the post and found the net. As a result, France moved 2-0 ahead.
Morocco now faced an even bigger challenge. Although they tried to respond, they struggled to create clear chances.
Dembélé doubled France’s lead against Morocco (Photo: Reuters)
France Stay in Complete Control
After taking a two-goal lead, France managed the game well.
Deschamps introduced fresh players to protect key starters. At the same time, Les Bleus slowed the pace and kept possession.
Morocco enjoyed more of the ball late in the match. However, they rarely threatened Mike Maignan.
France still looked dangerous on the counterattack. In fact, they nearly scored again. Nevertheless, Bounou produced several more impressive saves to keep the score respectable.
Morocco is powerless to act (Photo: Reuters)
Les Bleus Reach Another World Cup Semifinal
The final whistle confirmed another memorable victory for France.
Les Bleus reached the FIFA World Cup semifinals for the third tournament in a row. They also extended their excellent knockout record under Didier Deschamps.
Mbappé once again proved his quality. Although he missed a penalty, he responded with a superb opening goal. Dembélé then finished the job with another excellent strike.
Morocco left the tournament with pride. The Atlas Lions defended bravely throughout the competition. In addition, Bounou delivered another outstanding performance despite the defeat.
France will now face either Spain or Belgium in the semifinals. Based on this display, Les Bleus remain one of the strongest favorites to win the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Match Summary
Final Score: France 2-0 Morocco
Goals
- Kylian Mbappé (60′)
- Ousmane Dembélé (66′)
Key Highlights
- France reached a third consecutive FIFA World Cup semifinal.
- Mbappé scored after missing a first-half penalty.
- Dembélé doubled the lead with a superb long-range strike.
- Bounou made several outstanding saves despite the defeat.
- France will face Spain or Belgium in the semifinals.
Read more:
World Cup 2026: Powerful France Crush Sweden 3-0
World Cup 2026: Morocco Complete Stunning Upset
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