Second-half brilliance ends France into semifinals

BOSTON: France booked their place in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals with a commanding 2-0 victory over Morocco after a disciplined first-half display from the Atlas Lions.

The opening 45 minutes ended goalless, with Kylian Mbappé missing a penalty as Morocco frustrated the French attack. However, the breakthrough came in the 60th minute when Mbappé made amends by finding the back of the net. Just six minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé doubled France’s advantage to seal the win.

Despite Morocco’s resilient defending in the first half, France’s attacking quality ultimately proved decisive. Les Bleus will now face either Spain or Belgium in the quarterfinals.