Mbappé goal seals World Cup semifinal spot for France against Morocco

France has reached the World Cup semifinals for the third consecutive time, defeating Morocco 2-0 in a hard-fought quarterfinal match. Star forward Kylian Mbappé was instrumental in the victory, scoring a stunning goal in the 60th minute after his earlier penalty was saved by Morocco's exceptional goalkeeper, Yassine Bono.

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The big title favorite reached the semifinals of a World Cup for the third time in a row.

Despite Bono's heroic performance, which included denying Mbappé from the penalty spot earlier in the match, France secured their win with a second goal from Ousmane Dembélé in the 66th minute. This victory marks France's sixth win in six games at the tournament, underscoring their status as a dominant force.

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Mbappé initially failed with a penalty against Morocco's outstanding goalkeeper Bono, but then scored a dream goal in the 60th minute to take the lead.

Morocco, the first African team to reach a World Cup semifinal in 2022, struggled to assert themselves against the French side. While Bono's saves kept them in the game for extended periods, they ultimately could not overcome France's offensive pressure. The match saw Mbappé reach 20 World Cup goals, just one shy of Lionel Messi's record.

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Morocco, which reached the semifinals of a World Cup for the first time as an African team in 2022, seemed overwhelmed for long stretches in front of 63,811 spectators.

Discussions surrounding refereeing decisions are likely to continue following the match, particularly concerning the penalty incident. Mbappé's frustration was evident after his missed penalty, and the scrutiny on officiating in the tournament is expected to persist.

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Bono's penalty save record at World Cups is remarkable: out of nine shooters, only two have managed to beat him. He saved four, and three were missed otherwise.