SvnMorningNews

By Ethan Carter — 10 July 2026 — 4 min read

France secures semi-final spot

France has advanced to the semi-finals of the World Cup after a 2-0 victory over Morocco. The match saw Kylian Mbappé play a pivotal role, scoring the opening goal and contributing to the second. Despite the win, there was a moment of concern when Mbappé left the field late in the game with an apparent injury.

Mbappé initially had a penalty saved early in the match, but he later curled in a goal to give France the lead. This goal marked his eighth of the tournament, bringing him level with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race. He then assisted in the build-up to Ousmane Dembele‘s goal, which found the bottom corner, securing France‘s 2-0 lead.

The team’s performance against Morocco was described as impressive, further solidifying their position in the tournament. France will now prepare to face either Spain or Belgium in the semi-finals, with their next match scheduled to take place in Dallas on Tuesday.

Mbappé addresses injury scare

Towards the end of the match, Kylian Mbappé was substituted in the 78th minute after a heavy challenge from Issa Diop. Images later showed Mbappé on the bench with an ice pack on his right ankle, raising concerns among fans and observers about his fitness for upcoming matches.

However, Mbappé himself downplayed the injury after the game, stating, “I’m fine, I took a knock to the ankle but everything is okay.” He also mentioned that the substitution was a precautionary measure, noting that Jean-Philippe Mateta was better suited for the final 15 minutes of the match given the circumstances. France coach Didier Deschamps confirmed that Mbappé was feeling some pain in his ankle but indicated that it was a normal occurrence given the frequency of matches.

The challenge from Diop resulted in a yellow card and initially caused fears of a more serious injury. Mbappé remained on the ground in pain for a period before being replaced. The decision to substitute him was made with France already leading 2-0 and controlling the game, allowing for a cautious approach to his well-being.

Tournament performance and upcoming fixtures

Kylian Mbappé‘s contributions have been significant throughout the World Cup. With his goal against Morocco, he has accumulated 8 goals and 3 assists in the 2026 World Cup. This follows his performance in Qatar 2022, where he recorded 8 goals and 2 assists, making him the first player in history to achieve at least 10 direct goal involvements in two different editions of the tournament.

While Mbappé has been a primary goal scorer for France, contributing to 50 percent of their goals in this World Cup, other players have also made notable contributions. Ousmane Dembele, for instance, has scored five goals in the competition. Additionally, players like Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue have combined for three goals.

The quarter-final stage of the World Cup continues with other matches determining the remaining semi-finalists. Spain and Belgium are set to compete in Los Angeles, with the winner advancing to face France. The second semi-final lineup will be decided by a double-header on Saturday, featuring Norway against England in Miami and Argentina against Switzerland in Kansas City.

The match against Morocco also highlighted some tactical aspects. Morocco played without their main goal threat, Ismael Saibari, due to a hamstring issue, leading to a strikerless system that reportedly offered limited goal threat. The team’s coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, also faced challenges with other key players missing, resulting in a conservative and less effective performance compared to their earlier tournament displays.

During the match, there was a notable delay before Kylian Mbappé took his penalty kick, which lasted for over three minutes. The delay was attributed to a VAR check, despite the foul on Mbappé appearing clear-cut. The Argentinian official, Facundo Tello, was observed addressing players at the edge of the penalty area during this time. Mbappé’s penalty was ultimately saved by Yassine Bounou, marking Mbappé’s first miss after a streak of 15 successful conversions. Bounou’s save was his fourth in World Cup penalty situations, a record for any goalkeeper in the competition’s history.

With France‘s place in the semi-finals secured, attention now turns to their next opponent and Kylian Mbappé‘s continued fitness for the upcoming crucial match in Dallas on Tuesday.

Source: nytimes.com