France beats Morocco 2-0 to reach third straight World Cup semi-final

France confirmed their status as title contenders by defeating Morocco 2-0 in Boston, becoming the first team to reach the World Cup 2026 semi-finals. This marks the third consecutive World Cup where Didier Deschamps' squad has advanced to the final four, following their 2018 victory and 2022 runner-up finish.

France will now compete for a spot in the decisive match against the winner of the Spain vs. Belgium quarter-final. The game against Morocco was a test of patience, with France dominating possession but facing a strong performance from Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who made several crucial saves in the first half. Bounou denied Kylian Mbappé from the penalty spot in the 27th minute after Noussair Mazraoui fouled him in the box, a decision confirmed by VAR. France also hit the post before halftime.

The African team began to show signs of fatigue in the second half, allowing France to maintain pressure. Mbappé found redemption in the 59th minute, scoring the opening goal with a calm finish. Just minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé capitalized on a defensive lapse to score France's second goal in the 65th minute, securing their advancement.

Mbappé's opener was his eighth goal of the tournament, placing him level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. He has now been involved in 10 goals in each of his last two World Cups. France's defense also held strong, keeping their third consecutive clean sheet in the knockout stages.

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This was just a great win, fantastic to win this game. We were perhaps a bit timid in the first half but great in the second half. It was a fair win but it's only halftime so we just have to keep going.