France moved into the World Cup semi-finals for the third tournament in a row after beating Morocco 2-0 at Gillette Stadium outside Boston on Thursday.
Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele scored within six second-half minutes to end Morocco’s run and keep France on course for another appearance in the final.
Morocco arrived with real belief after another strong tournament, but they struggled to trouble a France side that controlled the match for long spells. Didier Deschamps’ team were patient, disciplined and sharper in the moments that mattered.
France had a chance to go ahead in the first half when Mbappe won a penalty after being brought down by Noussair Mazraoui. The forward had to wait through a lengthy VAR check before taking the kick, and Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou guessed correctly to make the save.
The miss briefly lifted Morocco, but they could not build on it. France continued to dominate the ball and kept Morocco pinned back for much of the contest.
The breakthrough came in the 60th minute. Mbappe collected possession near the edge of the area and curled a fine right-footed shot beyond Bounou to score his eighth goal of the tournament.
It was the kind of finish that has made him France’s most reliable weapon on the biggest stage. Deschamps later said he never doubted Mbappe’s confidence, even after the penalty miss.
Six minutes later, France made the game safe. Dembele drove forward from midfield before guiding a low finish into the bottom corner to make it 2-0 and leave Morocco with a mountain to climb.
The African champions tried to respond late on, but France goalkeeper Mike Maignan had little to do until the 83rd minute, when he pushed away Azzedine Ounahi’s free-kick. It was Morocco’s first shot on target, a sign of how well France had managed the match.
Mbappe was taken off in the 77th minute and later said he had a minor ankle issue, though he insisted it was not serious.
For Morocco, the defeat ends another proud World Cup campaign. They had been tipped to test France properly, but they lacked the attacking edge needed to trouble one of the tournament favourites.
France, meanwhile, continue to look like a team built for knockout football. They were not spectacular for every minute, but they were organised, ruthless and calm when the pressure arrived.
Deschamps praised his players for reaching another semi-final, noting that such consistency may look normal from the outside but still requires serious work.
France will now face either Spain or Belgium in Arlington, Texas, next Tuesday for a place in the final.
With Mbappe leading the scoring race and Dembele finding form at the right time, Les Bleus remain one of the strongest sides left in the competition.
