DistantNews
Support us
🇹🇼 Taiwan /Sports

Mbappé Penalty Delay Draws Criticism; France Advances to World Cup Semis

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty kick in France's World Cup quarterfinal against Morocco after a lengthy VAR review, a delay that drew criticism from Erling Haaland and French coach Didier Deschamps.
  • Deschamps agreed with Haaland's assessment that the delay was excessive, though he avoided making excuses for Mbappé's subsequent miss.
  • Despite the missed penalty, Mbappé scored later in the match, reaching his 20th World Cup goal, and assisted another goal as France advanced to the semifinals for the third consecutive time.

Kylian Mbappé's crucial penalty miss in France's World Cup quarterfinal against Morocco has sparked debate, with even fellow star Erling Haaland questioning the lengthy delay before the kick. Mbappé's attempt, following a foul by Moroccan defender Noussair Mazraoui, was significantly held up by a VAR review that lasted over three minutes. The delay ultimately seemed to disrupt Mbappé's rhythm, as his shot was comfortably saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Bono.

Haaland took to social media to express his bewilderment, stating the delay was "too long." French coach Didier Deschamps echoed this sentiment post-match, agreeing with Haaland's assessment. "I completely agree with Haaland's view," Deschamps said. "I believe there was a VAR review first, then a second review, taking a total of two minutes. I'm not sure what happened, but it certainly took a lot of time, and he was already ready to take the shot. I don't want to make excuses, but it was not an easy situation to handle."

I completely agree with Haaland's view. I believe there was a VAR review first, then a second review, taking a total of two minutes. I'm not sure what happened, but it certainly took a lot of time, and he was already ready to take the shot. I don't want to make excuses, but it was not an easy situation to handle.

— Didier DeschampsFrench coach Didier Deschamps commenting on the lengthy VAR delay before Kylian Mbappé's missed penalty kick.

Despite the setback with the penalty, Mbappé showcased his resilience and class later in the game. He scored in the 60th minute, marking his 20th career World Cup goal and his eighth in the current tournament. He also provided an assist for Ousmane Dembélé, helping France secure a 2-0 victory and advance to the semifinals for the third consecutive World Cup appearance.

France will now face the winner of the Spain-Belgium match in the semifinals. Deschamps expressed immense pride in his team's achievement, emphasizing their goal to reach the final. "To reach this stage for the third time in a row, I am incredibly proud," he stated. "We haven't reached the final yet, and there is another tough match ahead. The teams in the semifinals are the best four in the world, and our goal is to reach the final, but we must take it step by step. We carry the mission to fight for this jersey and for all those who wish us to win."

this delay was "too long."

— Erling HaalandNorwegian striker Erling Haaland's social media comment regarding the delay before Mbappé's penalty.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog