France 2-0 Morocco
AL KHOR, QATAR–For the first time since 1998 and for the fifth time ever at a World Cup, the defending champions will have the opportunity to defend their title in the final. France ended Morocco’s Cinderella run with a 2-0 decision at the Al Bayt Stadium.
The Atlas Lions of Morocco had not conceded from an opponent’s touch all World Cup heading into this semifinal, but it took less than five minutes for Theo Hernandez to change all that after a deflected shot from Kylian Mbappe went to his feet and he drilled it past Yassine Bounou to open the scoring.
Olivier Giroud nearly doubled the advantaged before Morocco pressed and nearly got an equalizer on a couple of occasions. Azzedine Ounahi forced a save from Hugo Lloris and then Jawad El Yamiq bicycle kicked a shot that Lloris was just able to tip onto the post.
However, that was as close as Morocco would get in this semifinal, and the insurance goal for France came in the 79th minute when another deflected shot from Mbappe went into the path of one of his teammates. This time, it was Randal Kolo Muani who tapped-in after after coming on as a substitute just 44 seconds prior.
Didier Deschamps, who becomes the fourth manager to take a team to back-to-back finals, knows that the job is not done and the job will be hard against Argentina on Sunday.
“There’s emotion, there’s pride, there’s going to be a final step,” said Deschamps. “We have been together with the players for a month, it’s never easy. There’s happiness so far.”
As for Morocco, they will go to the third place match against Croatia on Saturday, but they have earned the respect of the world for becoming the first team from Africa to reach the semifinals and knocking off major powers in Spain, Belgium, and Portugal on the way.
“Maybe it was one step too far, physically we came up short and had too many players at 60 or 70% fitness and have been for a few games now,” said coach Wahid Regragui. “We realise we made a great achievement. We saw the pictures in the media, television and social media and saw everyone was proud of us. We wanted to keep the Moroccan people’s dream alive and we are disappointed.
“We felt we could have gone even further, but these small details the true champions win.
“We have given a good image of our country and African football. We were representing our continent. People always respected us, but maybe they will respect us more now.”
Meanwhile, there is a World Cup Final to look forward to as well on Sunday and one team will win their third World Cup. It will either be the culmination of an outstanding career for Lionel Messi, or the confirmation of Kylian Mbappe as the new Best Player in the World. Either Argentina ends 36 years of hurt or France becomes the first repeat champion in 60 years. Whatever way you see it, billions of eyes will be on the Lusail International Stadium on Sunday to see a heavyweight contest.
