Fear factor to the fore as France march into semi-finals

France's imposing presence at the World Cup has instilled a palpable fear factor, seemingly influencing opponents before matches even begin. Morocco, a team known for its attacking flair and confidence, appeared subdued in their quarter-final clash, opting for a defensive 4-5-1 formation with Brahim Diaz isolated up front. This cautious approach signaled an unwillingness to engage in a direct attacking battle with France, whose transition pace has been unmatched throughout the tournament, leading to 16 goals scored. Morocco's strategy relied heavily on goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who saved a weak penalty from Kylian Mbappe in the 28th minute. However, France's patient build-up play eventually paid off. After the break, Mbappe's curled effort and Ousmane Dembele's low drive settled the match, securing France's progression. The two-goal margin did not fully capture the dominance displayed by France, with midfielders Adrien Rabiot and Manu Kone controlling the midfield while Morocco's Ayyoub Bouaddi struggled. Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi expressed a desire for his team to have held out longer defensively, but acknowledged the outcome. France now looks ahead to a semi-final against either Belgium or Spain, with Mbappe emphasizing the need for continued focus and recovery.

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In the spells when we did not have the ball and let them keep it, we felt they were not dangerous and that we had nothing to fear from that team.