Captain Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele starred for the French side, scoring second-half goals to seal the win and send France into the last four for a third consecutive World Cup
BOSTON: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-July 10th, 2026) France became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after securing a convincing 2-0 victory over Morocco in the tournament's opening quarter-final.
Captain Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele starred for the French side, scoring second-half goals to seal the win and send France into the last four for a third consecutive World Cup.
France dominated possession from the opening whistle and created several scoring opportunities during the first half. The European giants were awarded a penalty after Mbappe was brought down inside the box, but the Moroccan goalkeeper produced an excellent save to deny the French captain, leaving the score level at 0-0 at the break.
The breakthrough finally came in the 60th minute when Mbappe found the back of the net with a clinical finish to give France the lead. Just six minutes later, Dembele doubled the advantage with a well-taken goal, putting the defending world champions firmly in control of the contest.
Morocco attempted to stage a comeback and earned a free-kick in the 82nd minute, but the French goalkeeper made an impressive save to preserve his clean sheet. The African side also created another late chance, but failed to convert as France comfortably held on for the victory.
With the win, France advanced to the World Cup semi-finals for the third successive edition, underlining their status as one of the tournament favourites.
Mbappe Sets Historic World Cup Record
Mbappe also achieved a remarkable personal milestone during the match. His goal took his tally to eight goals at the FIFA World Cup 2026, making him the first player in history to score eight goals in two different editions of the FIFA World Cup.
The French forward had also netted eight goals during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, further cementing his place among the tournament's greatest goalscorers.
