In the early hours of July 10th (Vietnam time), on the Boston pitch, France quickly took control of the game. Oregon and created several dangerous opportunities. In the 5th minute, center-back Dayot Upamecano had a header that forced goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to make a save.
After a period of dominance, "Les Bleus" France were awarded a penalty when Noussair Mazraoui fouled Kylian Mbappe inside the penalty area. However, the French captain failed to beat Bounou from the spot, leaving the first half goalless.
After the break, Mbappe quickly redeemed himself. In the 60th minute, the Real Madrid striker unleashed a curling shot from outside the penalty area, sending the ball into the far corner and opening the scoring for France. This was also Mbappe's eighth goal at the 2026 World Cup, keeping him at the top of the Golden Boot race.
Just six minutes later, Mbappe continued to impress with a well-placed through pass to Ousmane Dembele, who finished with a precise angled shot, doubling the lead for the reigning World Cup runners-up.
For the remainder of the match, France played solidly to secure a 2-0 victory, thus earning a place in the World Cup semi-finals for the third consecutive time, following their 2018 championship win and runner-up finish in Qatar 2022. Didier Deschamps' team will face the winner of the match between Spain and Belgium.
Statistics show that Mbappe has scored in 5 of France's 6 matches in this year's tournament and now has 20 goals in World Cup history, just short of Lionel Messi's record of 21. Meanwhile, Dembele became the third French player to score 5 goals in a World Cup, after Just Fontaine and Mbappe himself.
Conversely, despite being eliminated, Morocco continued to make its mark by reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the second consecutive time. Coach Mohamed Ouahbi admitted that his team had faced a formidable opponent.
"We have to admit France is a very excellent team. The first half was incredibly difficult, and Bounou's penalty save gave us a chance. In the second half, we defended better and controlled the ball more calmly, but in the end, a moment of brilliance from Mbappe made the difference," Ouahbi said.
The Moroccan coach believes the team needs to continue improving its squad depth to compete at a high level, and asserts that this team not only represents Morocco but also inspires many countries in Africa and Asia.
On the French side, coach Didier Deschamps was pleased that his players had overcome a major challenge.
"It was a very difficult match. We missed a penalty and several chances, but with Mbappe there's nothing to worry about, he never loses his confidence. We achieved our goal of reaching the semi-finals and now we will focus on recovering to prepare for the next match," Deschamps shared.
Mbappe also stated that the entire team is not yet allowing themselves to be complacent.
"We are delighted to have reached the semi-finals, but there is still a long way to go. The only thing that makes the French team feel comfortable is winning. We understand that the challenges ahead will be even more difficult, but the whole team is ready," the French captain emphasized.
Meanwhile, Dembele revealed that before scoring, Mbappe had instructed him to move into the central area to receive the decisive pass.
"I'm very happy. This is the third time I've reached the World Cup semi-finals with the French national team. A few minutes before the goal, Kylian told me to stay in the center. He made a fantastic run that created space, and I just focused on finishing accurately," the 29-year-old striker shared.
With Mbappe's brilliant performances and increasingly consistent play, the French national team continues to assert its position as one of the top contenders for the 2026 World Cup title.