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By Vikram Iyer — 10 July 2026 — 4 min read

France secured their place in the World Cup semifinals by defeating Morocco 2-0. Goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé sealed the victory for Didier Deschamps’ side at the Gillette Stadium outside Boston.

The match saw Mbappé score his eighth goal of the tournament in the 60th minute. Shortly after, Dembélé extended Les Bleus’ lead just six minutes later, ensuring a clinical win. This result propels the 2018 champions into a last-four encounter against either Spain or Belgium in Arlington, Texas.

France’s Evolving Attack

Under Didier Deschamps, France has showcased a significantly different attacking style compared to their previous encounter with Morocco in the 2022 World Cup. This evolution is characterized by a more freeform attacking line, which proved effective in the recent match. The team’s tactical reinvention under the 57-year-old coach was evident as Mbappé and Dembélé’s combined efforts secured their semi-final spot.

In 2022, France adopted a pragmatic approach, effectively neutralizing Morocco’s attacks in a tightly contested semi-final in Qatar. During that match, Les Bleus converted two of their three shots on target to secure the win, while keeping their opponents at bay. However, the recent match in Boston three and a half years later demonstrated a shift, with France generating four times as many attempts on Yassine Bounou’s goal by half-time compared to their entire 2022 game against Morocco.

A high pressing line, a notable stylistic change from recent France teams, kept Morocco on the defensive for much of the first half. Without an attacking focal point due to Ismael Saibari’s absence, the Atlas Lions faced continuous pressure and offered limited offensive threats themselves. Despite a bruising win over Paraguay five days prior, which some feared might have hindered the momentum of the French attack, the team maintained a strong offensive output.

The match against Paraguay had left a lingering sense of frustration for France, partly due to a combative defense and what was perceived as neglectful refereeing. However, Deschamps had emphasized focusing on Morocco, not the officiating. While the recent match offered a more even-handed officiating performance, Morocco’s defense still presented a stern challenge.

A sense of exasperation grew for France in the first half as Bounou denied Désiré Doué, and the forwards struggled to connect. An ill-fated penalty attempt by Mbappé, delayed by a three-minute VAR check, added to the team’s irritation.

Key Moments and Performance

Unlike Paraguay’s defense, which offered little space, Morocco adopted a less conservative approach. This allowed Mbappé to find an opening behind his club teammate Achraf Hakimi, leading to the penalty incident. Although the penalty was saved by Yassine Bounou, Mbappé later broke the deadlock on the hour mark with a shot from the edge of the box.

Similar to their game against Sweden, Mbappé’s goal opened the scoring after what had been a relatively wasteful display in front of goal. Dembélé’s strike minutes later seemed to signal a floodgate opening, but Mbappé’s evening was cut short due to a heel issue, which also disrupted France’s attack.

France ultimately ended the match with less possession than their opponents, a pattern observed in their previous encounter. However, the momentum of the game never appeared to shift against them this time. In midfield, Manu Koné’s all-action performance likely secured his place in the starting XI, addressing any concerns arising from Aurélien Tchouaméni’s fitness issues.

The French defense has faced minimal testing over the last three hours of play, a situation that suits Les Bleus given William Saliba’s ongoing back issues. This means they are entering uncharted territory in the final four, where the attacks of both Spain and Belgium are expected to be sharper and more formidable than any opponents they have faced thus far. Despite their struggles in front of goal, Les Bleus rarely felt threatened by Morocco, with Adrien Rabiot noting that they did not perceive their opponents as dangerous when given possession.

France’s attack, not for the first time in this World Cup, required numerous chances before finally breaking through. While there was telepathic interplay between Mbappé, Dembélé, and Michael Olise, the sheer volume of chances created may have masked some wayward finishing. Deschamps acknowledged in his pre-match press conference that his team could still improve their finishing, emphasizing the need for clinical execution against higher-quality opponents. As Les Bleus prepare to move to Dallas for their semi-final, they are leaving the comfort zone established both on and off the pitch, ready to face their next challenge.

The win sends the 2018 champions into a last-four showdown against either Spain or Belgium in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday.

Source: theguardian.com