Mbappe recovered from an early penalty miss to score, while Dembele added another goal as France advanced comfortably.
Image: K24 Digital
France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the World Cup quarter-finals to secure a semi-final place. The defending finalists produced another composed knockout performance.
Kylian Mbappe missed a first-half penalty after Yassine Bounou made a comfortable save. The French star later redeemed himself with a brilliant curling strike.
Mbappe opened the scoring on the hour after receiving a pass from Desire Doue. His finish gave France the breakthrough they had been seeking.
Ousmane Dembele sealed the victory in the 66th minute with a composed finish. Mbappe provided the assist before leaving the field late with an ice pack.
France will now face either Spain or Belgium in the semi-finals in Dallas. Didier Deschamps’ side remains on course for another World Cup final.
Mbappe has now scored eight goals in the tournament and 20 in World Cup matches. He is level with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race.
Morocco enjoyed strong crowd support but struggled to threaten France in attack. The absence of injured Ismael Saibari reduced their attacking options.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou impressed despite conceding twice during the match. He denied several French chances, including Mbappe’s penalty.
France maintained another clean sheet and controlled much of the contest. Their experience and quality proved decisive against Morocco.
Morocco exited the tournament but showed promise with several talented young players. They will look ahead to co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
