France vs Morocco

France and Morocco will jostle for a place in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 at the Al Bayt Stadium on Thursday night.

In the second half, Samir Nasri gave France a 2-1 lead, but a late goal by Youssef Mokhtari forced the match to end in a 2-2 draw. Thierry Henry, Djorkaeff, Christophe Dugarry, Nicolas Anelka, and Sylvain Wiltord scored for France. In a friendly in 1998, Morocco prevailed over France in a penalty shootout. Their first meeting came in 1988 when France beat Morocco 2-1. - ⦿ France, which won its second World Cup title in Russia four years ago, started its title defence with wins over Australia and Denmark but lost to African side Tunisia 1-0.

Holders France take on first-time semi-finalists Morocco for a place in the final.

His shot was deflected but it fell perfectly at the back post to Kolo Muani, the Eintracht Frankfurt striker who had been on the pitch just 44 seconds, to score the second. Mbappe went to the centre and it was him who created the goal, bursting past one defender and immediately drawing three into him. Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate came in for Upamecano and did well enough to keep his place for the final. He was unable to get a clean shot off but the deflected hit fell high and awkward at the back post for Hernandez and he finished beautifully, first time, with his left foot. When Morocco did find a way through the France press they were dangerous. He made the big substitute calls right bringing on Marcus Thuram and Kolo Muani, both influential in the latter stages of the game. For Morocco, this had been an exceptional effort from the likes of Amrabat, Hakim Ziyech and Sofiane Boufal. Four years earlier, he scored twice in the second half of France’s 4-3 win over Argentina in the second round of the 2018 World Cup finals. Their plans to sit in that 4-5-1 formation and wait for their opportunities were turned upside down by the fifth minute French goal, brilliantly taken by the full-back Theo Hernandez. By the second half Morocco were obliged to go on the front foot. [Sunday’s final](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2022/12/14/when-qatar-world-cup-2022-final-match-date-kick-off/) between France and Argentina will also be viewed as Mbappe against Lionel Messi, and what it means for their respective places in the great canon of the game. Mbappe was rarely allowed to break free, yet in the closing stages it was he who scattered the pieces in the Morocco area to create France’s second.