France advanced to the 2026 World Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Morocco at Boston Stadium. Second half performances from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembélé broke down Morocco’s stubborn defence. Despite a dramatic penalty save from Yassine Bounou in the first half, France’s relentless attacking pressure finally showed. Didier Deschamps’ side now await the winner of the quarter-final tie between Spain and Belgium.
Clinical surge in second half leaves Atlas Lions aside
In a clinical six-minute window in the second half, the complexion of the game completely changed. France broke the deadlock in the 60th minute with a magical moment from Kylian Mbappe. The France captain produced a brilliant individual performance when he received a pass from Désiré Doué on the edge of the box. Surrounded by three Morocco shirts, Mbappe produced incredible torque with almost no backward lift, finishing with a brilliant right-footed finish around defender Issa Diop and well inside the far post.
France’s Kylian Mbappe (10) celebrates after teammate Ousmane Dembele scores his second goal during a World Cup quarterfinal soccer match against Morocco, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Foxborough, Massachusetts, near Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell) Correction: The correction is that the team’s second goal, not the first, was scored by France’s Ousmane Dembele, not Kylian Mbappe.
The Moroccan team was shocked by the opening game and immediately made tactical adjustments, sending in Sofiyan Amrabat and Sufian Rahimi. However, the French team launched a decisive second blow in the 66th minute.
France’s Ousmane Dembélé (7) celebrates after scoring during the World Cup quarterfinal match between France and Morocco in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Mbappe drives into the center of the defence, pulling defenders towards him to manipulate space. With perfect timing, he passed the ball to Ousmane Dembélé, who took advantage of the space in the middle, took the ball in stride, and fired a low right-footed shot into the bottom right corner. Boonu managed to reach for the ball but was unable to stop it from hitting the net.
First-half setbacks and close calls
France dominated the opening 45 minutes, posting an impressive expected goals against (xG) of 1.87, while stopping Morocco’s one shot. France were threatening within four minutes, with Mbappe’s low shot going inches wide. In the ensuing corner kick, Dayot Upamecano headed in from close range, and the Moroccan defense fought back desperately.
France’s Dayot Upamecano (4) tries to header a goal while Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (1) stands in the goal during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between France and Morocco in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
The decisive breaking point of the first half came in the 26th minute. Mbappe launched his trademark drive down the left wing, forcing Nussel Mazraoui to mount an awkward challenge inside the box.
Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui (3) commits a penalty kick while tackling France’s Kylian Mbappe (10) in preparation for a penalty kick during a World Cup quarterfinal soccer match in Foxborough, Massachusetts, near Boston, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
After a lengthy VAR review, the referee pointed directly to the spot. Mbappe took the penalty kick but failed to hit. Yassine Bounou read this perfectly and dived to his left to deflect the ball away to keep a clean sheet for the Atlas Lions.
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (1) saves a penalty kick from France’s Kylian Mbappe (10) during a World Cup quarterfinal soccer match in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
Boonou’s heroics in withstanding France’s relentless pressure
Morocco’s game plan relied heavily on deep defensive discipline and structural compression. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou stood at the center of this strategy like a titanium wall, making seven crucial saves. Bounou repeatedly frustrated the French frontline, dealing with fierce long-range shots from Michael Olise and Adrien Rabiot.
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (1) saves a penalty kick from France’s Kylian Mbappe (10) during a World Cup quarterfinal soccer match in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Even after falling two goals behind, Boonu still maintained a respectable scoreline. In the 89th minute, Bradley Barcola launched a lightning counterattack, but Boonu denied him with an acrobatic one-handed save.
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou makes a save during the World Cup quarterfinal match between France and Morocco in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Thursday, July 9, 2026, near Boston. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
In stoppage time, Jean-Philippe Mateta made a clever dummy in the penalty area, but Boonu ultimately saved the last shot. While Morocco preserved 52% of possession by passing the ball safely in the second half, they were severely lacking in offensive dominance due to the injury absence of top scorer Ismael Sabari. Brahim Dias, under strong direction from Manu Kone, had just one of Morocco’s five shots on target.
Mbappe chases Golden Boot and World Cup record
Despite missing the penalty, Mbappe’s performance further cemented his status as an all-time World Cup icon. His sensational strike in the 60th minute was his eighth goal of the 2026 World Cup, leaving him deadlocked with Messi in the Golden Boot standings.
France’s Kylian Mbappe (10) jumps on his teammates after Ousmane Dembele scores the second goal during their World Cup quarterfinal soccer match against Morocco in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell) Correction: Corrected that the team’s second goal, not the first, was scored by France’s Ousmane Dembélé, not Kylian Mbappe.
It is worth noting that Mbappe has scored 20 goals in just 20 World Cup games, setting a career milestone, leaving legends such as Brazilian Ronaldo (15 goals), Pele (12 goals) and Diego Maradona (8 goals) far behind. He also became the first player in football history to score eight or more goals in two completely separate World Cup tournaments. His only blemish on the night came in the 77th minute when he was substituted with a minor bruise on his foot. Although France staff expected him to be fit for the next round, he spent the final minutes on the bench with an ice pack.
Semifinals Outlook: Road to Dallas
By knocking out Morocco, France reached their third consecutive World Cup semi-final. Now, they are just two wins away from becoming the third country in history to qualify for three consecutive World Cup finals, a feat previously accomplished only by Germany and Brazil. The Gallic Roosters will fly to Dallas for the semi-finals on Tuesday, July 14, where they will face European heavyweights Spain or dangerous Belgium.
