France ended Morocco’s 2026 World Cup run with a 2-0 quarter-final win in Boston, breaking through after more than an hour of resistance from Yassine Bounou before Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé sealed the result.
Morocco spent most of the first half under pressure as Didier Deschamps’ side dominated possession, pressed high and repeatedly forced Bounou into saves. The goalkeeper denied Mbappé early, stopped a close-range Dayot Upamecano header and then kept out Mbappé’s 28th-minute penalty after the France captain was brought down in the area.
The save kept Morocco level despite France’s control. The Atlas Lions struggled to move the ball out of their half, with Bilal El-Khannouss isolated up front and Azzedine Ounahi forced deep to help build play. Morocco failed to test Mike Maignan before the interval.
France resumed control after the break and finally broke through in the 60th minute, when Mbappé curled a precise shot into the far corner for his eighth goal of the tournament, drawing level with Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring chart.
Six minutes later, Dembélé doubled the lead after driving through the middle, cutting past Issa Diop and beating Bounou with a low shot.
Mohamed Ouahbi introduced Sofyan Amrabat and Soufiane Rahimi as Morocco tried to respond, but France remained in control. Morocco’s best late chances came through Ounahi, whose shot was saved by Maignan, and Neil El Aynaoui, whose header hit the side-netting.
Mbappé left the pitch in the 78th minute after a challenge from Diop, with ice later applied to his right ankle.
Morocco exit after reaching the quarter-finals for the second straight World Cup, while France advance to the semi-finals.
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