France easily beat Morocco to qualify for the final

4 years after winning the title in Russia, the French team returned to the final of the FIFA World Cup. On Wednesday, December 14, at the Al-Beit Stadium in Al-Khor (Qatar), the Blues beat Morocco (2:0) in a long-standing semi-final. They will face Lionel Messi’s Argentina on Sunday at 16:00. “There is emotion, pride. Today was a great ride, French coach Didier Deschamps reacted after the final whistle. We have been together with the players for a month. It’s never simple, it’s only happiness so far. My players are rewarded like the whole group. »

The Blues opened the way very quickly. Raphaël Varane finds Antoine Griezmann on the right side of the surface after the Moroccans started the match. The French midfielder took advantage of Javad El Yamiq’s slip and served Kylian Mbappe, who twice tried his luck but was repeatedly blocked. Theo Hernandez then appeared at the far post and sent the ball into the net with an acrobatic recovery (1-0, 5).^e minutes).

The Blues have plenty of opportunities to make the break and we imagine the French sailing peacefully into the final. But Olivier Giroud finds the amount with a strong shot (17^e). Kylian Mbappe slips just before his shot, allowing El Yamiq to clear his line. The ball eventually finds its way back to Giroud’s feet, whose recovery flirts with Yassine Bounoun’s post (36).^e).

The score was only 1-0 and that’s when Morocco chose to restart the match. After rescuing his family, El Yamiq gets the best opportunity for Atlas Lions with the ball poorly cleared by the Blues after a corner kick. Hugo Lloris tries an acrobatic turn in the middle of the French defence. The ball hits the post (44^e).

Randal Kolo frees Muani on his first ball

After returning from the dressing room, the French continue to turn their backs. Despite the growing number of injuries – Nayef Aguerd in the warm-up, Romain Saïss after twenty-one minutes, Noussair Mazraoui at half-time – the Moroccans put a lot of pressure on the French defense. But they only have a few chances.

In one of them, Ibrahima Konate interfered and prevented Morocco from equalizing the score, while Youssef En-Nesyri was content to push the ball into the net (54).^e). On several occasions the Moroccans came close to Hugo Lloris’s goal, but Tuesday’s ubiquitous Antoine Griezmann’s foot or French head always came to thwart the tendencies of Walid Regragui’s men.

He was finally released from the bench of the French team. Marcus Thuram, who entered the game ten minutes earlier, serves on the left and finds Mbappe. The French spin through the middle of five Moroccan defenders before trying their luck. His shot was cleared, but Randal Kolo Muani rose at the far post to send the ball into the net. Called up by Didier Deschamps in the last minute to compensate for Christopher Nkunkun’s package, the former Nantes player scored the second French goal in his first ball a minute after coming on (2-0, 79^e). “This is a childhood dream. I’m still in it”The German player from Frankfurt reacted after the match.

Despite this huge blow to the head, the Moroccans keep pushing. After stoppage time, Jules Kounde replaces his goalkeeper on his own line to allow the Blues to finish their first match without conceding a goal at this World Cup (94).^e).

“The final is not played, it is won”

The Moroccans will never find a way to break the French defense. “Against a team like France, the smallest mistake pays off”Moroccan head coach Walid Regraghi reacted after the meeting. “It was better in the second half. We had situations, we couldn’t score, then the second goal killed us. But well, that doesn’t take away from everything we gave before. »

The Moroccans, who are thus far unbeaten and the first African nation to play in a World Cup semi-final, will therefore play Croatia in the minor final on Saturday at 16:00. For their part, Kylian Mbappe’s blues are bidding for their second final in four years and fourth in twenty-four years.

“The final is not played, it is won”Randal Kolo Muani says. “We will approach this match with great desire and concentration, as we always do in competitions. We are a tight-knit group and I think he will. » The Blues will have the opportunity to add a third star to their jersey on Sunday when they face Leo Messi’s Argentines, who are all dressed up by the nation.