France have reached the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 2-0 victory over Morocco, ending the Atlas Lions impressive campaign at the tournament.Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele scored in the second half to secure a place in the last four, while Morocco were left to reflect on another memorable World Cup journey that saw them compete among the worlds elite and make Africa proud.The African side produced a determined performance at Gillette Stadium but were unable to contain Frances attacking quality, as Mbappe once again delivered on the biggest stage.Bono Keeps Morocco Alive as France Dominate Early StagesFrance started the match on the front foot and immediately tested Moroccos defence.Just four minutes into the game, Dayot Upamecano connected with a dangerous cross and directed a low header towards the bottom-left corner, but Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bono reacted brilliantly to make an outstanding save.France continued to push forward, with Morocco forced to defend deep as Les Bleus searched for the opening goal.The pressure appeared to pay off in the 25th minute when Noussair Mazraoui was penalised for a foul inside the box, leading referee Facundo Tello to award France a penalty after consulting with his assistant.However, after a VAR review, the decision remained under scrutiny before Kylian Mbappe stepped up.The France captain attempted to place his penalty into the bottom-right corner, but Bono read the effort perfectly and produced another important save to deny him.Morocco Resist Pressure But France Keep Creating ChancesMorocco continued to battle against Frances attacking threat, with Bono once again standing between the European side and the breakthrough.In the 35th minute, Desire Doue created space after an impressive solo run into the penalty area and attempted to guide his shot into the bottom-left corner, but Bono made another excellent stop to keep the score level.France came closest before the break when Lucas Digne unleashed a powerful long-range strike in stoppage time, but his effort crashed against the crossbar.Despite Moroccos defensive resilience, France eventually found the breakthrough after the interval.Mbappe and Dembele Seal Moroccos ExitThe breakthrough arrived in the 60th minute when Mbappe collected the ball from distance and produced a composed finish, sending his strike inside the right post to give France the lead.Morocco tried to respond, but Frances attacking players continued to threaten and doubled their advantage six minutes later.Mbappe turned provider, setting up Ousmane Dembele on the edge of the box. Although Dembele did not make perfect contact with the shot, the effort found its way into the bottom-right corner to make it 2-0.The victory ended Moroccos hopes of another historic World Cup achievement, while France moved one step closer to lifting the trophy again.France will now face the winner of the quarter-final meeting between Belgium and Spain in the semi-finals.
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World Cup 2026: Mbappe and Dembele on target as France dispatch Morocco to reach semi-finals
