Kylian Mbappé has a goal and an assist as France beats Morocco 2-0 in the World Cup quarterfinals

Newseze Wire·Thu, Jul 9, 10:34 PMWire: Philadelphia Inquirer

Kylian Mbappé had a goal and an assist after missing a first-half penalty kick, Ousmane Dembélé scored the other and France beat Morocco 2-0 in the World Cup quarterfinals

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# France Advances Past Morocco Behind Mbappé's Redemption Performance France secured a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinals, with Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé delivering both a goal and an assist despite an early penalty miss. Ousmane Dembélé added the second goal, propelling the defending champions toward the tournament's latter stages. The result marks France's continued pursuit of back-to-back World Cup titles, a feat last accomplished by Brazil in 1962. Mbappé's performance offered a narrative arc typical of high-pressure tournament football. His first-half penalty miss—a moment that could have shifted momentum in Morocco's favor—instead seemed to catalyze rather than diminish his effectiveness. The forward responded with tangible contributions that proved decisive, demonstrating the mental resilience expected of elite athletes operating on soccer's grandest stage. His dual involvement in the scoreline underscores why France remains constructed around his attacking capabilities. For a team seeking to repeat as world champions, having a centerpiece player who performs under duress rather than wilting provides considerable tactical stability. Dembélé's goal added depth to France's offensive threat, suggesting their attacking options extend beyond singular dependency on Mbappé's brilliance. From a tournament perspective, France's progression keeps intact one of the competition's primary narrative threads—the defending champion's attempt at rare historical accomplishment. The victory also confirms Morocco's limitations at this competition level, despite their impressive earlier performances. Morocco's failure to capitalize on France's penalty miss represents a critical juncture; sides at World Cups that cannot punish opponents' mistakes often find themselves progressively marginalized. France's control of the match, evidenced by both their goal-scoring and ability to neutralize Morocco's counterattack threats, reflects superior squad depth and tactical discipline developed through competitive European club football. The match quality itself reflects standard World Cup quarterfinal expectations—organized, professionally executed, with clear separation between the sides once the match's direction became established. France's defensive structure prevented Morocco from generating serious scoring opportunities, a hallmark of tournament-tested sides that understand knockout football's unforgiving mathematics. **Worth knowing:** This result maintains the mathematical possibility of a France-Argentina final—a matchup carrying significant storyline weight given Lionel Messi's World Cup narrative arc and Mbappé's emerging superstardom. Tournament draws often produce such narratively convenient outcomes, though multiple matches remain before such speculation gains practical relevance. For now, France has completed its assigned task with sufficient authority to suggest genuine championship contention. Reporting: Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Kylian Mbappé has a goal and an assist as France beats Morocco 2-0 in the World Cup quarterfinals

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