France booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the quarter-finals in Boston, continuing their dominance over the Atlas Lions on the biggest stage.
France made the brighter start and threatened as early as the fourth minute. Kylian Mbappé tested the goalkeeper before Dayot Upamecano's header also failed to find the net. The match settled into a slower rhythm until the 28th minute, when Mbappé won a penalty but saw his effort comfortably saved by Yassine Bounou.
Désiré Doué came close in the 35th minute with a low strike that Bounou pushed behind for a corner. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Lucas Digne rattled the crossbar with a superb effort, leaving France frustrated despite controlling much of the opening 45 minutes.
The French maintained their pressure after the break and finally found the breakthrough in the 60th minute. Mbappé made amends for his earlier penalty miss by curling a fine shot into the back of the net.
Just six minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé doubled France's advantage with another low finish, effectively putting the contest beyond Morocco.
Morocco, who struggled to reach their usual standards throughout the match, produced their best chance in the 82nd minute when Azzedine Ounahi unleashed a powerful effort, but Mike Maignan reacted well to preserve his clean sheet.
With the victory, France became the first team to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals. They will face the winner of Spain vs. Belgium on 14th July at Dallas Stadium.
