France repeat the Qatar 2-0 over Morocco to reach the semi-finals: Mbappé atones for his missed penalty and reaches eight
Four years on, the same story and the same scoreline. At Boston's Gillette Stadium, France beat Morocco (2-0) to reach the semi-finals, repeating the result of the Qatar 2022 semi-final. Kylian Mbappé, who had missed a penalty on 28' (saved by Bounou), redeemed himself with the opener on 60' —a Doué assist— and set up Ousmane Dembélé's 2-0 on 66'. With his eighth goal of the tournament, Mbappé draws level with Messi at the top of the scoring charts. Morocco had more possession (52%), but France dominated the chances (21 shots, 3.10 expected goals). MVP: Dembélé (8.9). France will face the winner of Spain-Belgium in the semi-finals.
Football, sometimes, repeats itself down to the finest detail. Four years on from the Qatar 2022 semi-final, France and Morocco met again in a knockout tie, and the outcome was identical: a 2-0 for the French, who reach the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup. At Boston's Gillette Stadium, the reigning world runners-up delivered on their favourites' billing against a brave Morocco unable to breach Mike Maignan's goal.
Didier Deschamps set up in a 4-2-3-1: Maignan in goal; Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba and Digne in defence; the Koné-Rabiot double pivot; and Dembélé, Olise and Désiré Doué behind Kylian Mbappé. Mohamed Ouahbi answered with a mirror 4-2-3-1: Bounou in goal; Hakimi, Issa Diop, Mazraoui and Salah-Eddine across the back; Bouaddi and El Aynaoui in midfield; and Brahim Díaz, Ounahi and Talbi behind El Khannouss.
The match carried a misleading statistical quirk: Morocco finished with more possession (52%), yet barely threatened. The numbers tell the real story of French dominance: 21 shots to 5, eight on target to one, and a chasm in expected goals (France's 3.10 to Morocco's 0.13). The Africans defended with structure and pinned their hopes on the counter, but never found a way through to Maignan.
The first serious warning came in the shape of a penalty. In the 28th minute, Mbappé had the chance to make it 1-0 from the spot, but Yassine Bounou —a giant all night, with six saves— read his intent and saved the kick. The miss might have weighed on the France captain's mind, but far from crumbling, he grew. In the 60th, Mbappé latched onto a Désiré Doué assist to finally beat Bounou and score the opener that had eluded him. It was, moreover, his eighth goal of the tournament: with it, he draws level with Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring charts and tightens the race for the Golden Boot.
Six minutes later, in the 66th, came the clincher. This time it was Mbappé who turned provider, teeing up Ousmane Dembélé to bundle in the decisive 2-0. The PSG winger, scorer and ever-present in attack, was named man of the match with an outstanding 8.9. With the tie under control, Deschamps rested his stars —Mbappé left to an ovation in the 77th— and France saw it out without alarm to the final whistle.
Morocco, the great surprise of the bracket after knocking out the Netherlands and thrashing Canada, leave with their heads held high but with the feeling of running into the same wall once more. France, by contrast, march on and will meet the winner of Spain-Belgium —played on 10 July in Los Angeles— in the semi-finals. The Qatar replay ended as it did back then: with Les Bleus already looking to the penultimate stop of the World Cup.