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![\"General](\"https:\/\/epsilon.creativecirclecdn.com\/omglocal\/original\/20260710-140843-e58-WORLDCUP-FRA-MAR.JPG\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGeneral view inside the stadium before the match\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMike Segar\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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World Cup Quarterfinals – France vs Morocco<\/p>\n
France started the game really well, pushing Morocco back into their own half and applying early pressure. Mbapp\u00e9 saw his shot in the opening minutes go wide of the post; Upamecano then saw his close-range header well saved by Bounou; and D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Dou\u00e9\u2019s effort on goal was well blocked by the Moroccan defense, all in the opening 10 minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dembele had a couple of chances to open the scoring either side of the 20th minute mark, but his first was a header that he looped wide, and his long-range effort was well blocked. Adrien Rabiot was the next French player to come close, but his header flew over the bar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A few minutes later, though, the French pressure finally paid off when Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 made a blistering run down the left side and was just too quick for Noussair Mazraoui, who was brought down by the Moroccan defender as he flew into a challenge, and the penalty was awarded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrance’s Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 scores their first goal\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDAVID BUTLER II\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n After a lengthy wait, around 3 minutes or so, from the time the penalty was awarded until Mbappe was allowed to take it, the French forward stepped up and took an awful penalty down the middle right side of the goal that was comfortably saved by Bounou, and Mbappe had missed his chance to draw level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and Jules Kounde all had shots blocked, saved, or sent wide a few minutes after Mbappe’s penalty miss, but France couldn\u2019t generate enough quality chances to really trouble Bounou or the Moroccan defense. Kone and Olise tried desperate long-range attempts that got comfortably blocked, and both teams headed into the half-time break with a goalless draw.\u00a0<\/p>\n Desire Dou\u00e9 had a great chance coming out of the half-time break to grab an early 2nd-half goal for France, but Yassine Bounou produced a brilliant save to his left to deny the PSG winger an early lead. Mbappe then blazed one over the bar from inside the box, and it was looking like the French were getting more and more frustrated as the game went on.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrance’s Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring their second goal\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDylan Martinez\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n The deadlock was finally broken on the hour mark, and of course, it was only going to be one man who opened the scoring. Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 picked up the ball just inside the box and rifled a beautiful, curling shot that started just outside the post and curled back into the far corner to grab his 8th goal of the tournament and France\u2019s first goal of the game.\u00a0<\/p>\n Morocco struggled to recover after going 1-0 down, and France took advantage, grabbing a 2nd goal just 6 minutes after Mbapp\u00e9 opened the scoring. After a brilliant run from Ousmane Dembele, the PSG forward curled a low shot around the defender and into the bottom corner to grab his 5th of the tournament.\u00a0<\/p>\n France took the final 15 minutes to slow the pace and give Morocco more of the ball, and the African nation went in search of a way back into the game with 15 minutes remaining. Azzedine Ounahi had an effort from outside the box, well saved by French goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Neil El Aynaoui had a great chance from a corner at the front post, but his header was just too wide of the post and nestled into the side netting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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